Substituted 4,9-dihydrocyclopenta{imn}phenanthridine-5-ones derivatives thereof and their uses

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to compounds, pharmaceutical compositions, and methods of using the disclosed compounds for inhibiting PARP.

This application is the US national phase of international application PCT/US02/41135 filed 24 Dec. 2002, which designated the US and claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 60/343,232 filed 31 Dec. 2001, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to inhibitors of the nuclear enzyme poly(adenosine 5′-diphospho-ribose) polymerase [“poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase” or “PARP”, which is also referred to as ADPRT (NAD:protein (ADP-ribosyl transferase (polymersing)) and PARS (poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase) and provides compounds and compositions containing the disclosed compounds. Moreover, the present invention provides methods of using the disclosed PARP inhibitors to prevent and/or treat tissue damage resulting from cell damage or death due to necrosis or apoptosis; neural tissue damage resulting from, for example, ischemia and reperfusion injury, such as cerebral ischemic stroke, head trauma or spinal cord injury; neurological disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, such as, for example, Parkinson's or Alzheimer's diseases and multiple sclerosis; to prevent or treat vascular stroke; to treat or prevent cardiovascular disorders, such as, for example, myocardial infarction; to treat other conditions and/or disorders such as, for example, age-related muscular degeneration, AIDS and other immune senescence diseases, inflammation, arthritis, gout, atherosclerosis cachexia, cancer, degenerative diseases of skeletal muscle involving replicative senescence, diabetes (such as diabetes mellitus), inflammatory bowel disorders (such as colitis and Crohn's disease), acute pancreatitis, mucositis, hemorrhagic shock, splanchnic artery occlusion shock, multiple organ failure (such as involving any of the kidney, liver, renal, pulmonary, retinal, pancreatic and/or skeletal muscle systems), acute autoimmune thyroiditis, muscular dystrophy, osteoarthritis, osteonorosis, chronic and acute pain (such as neuropathic pain), renal failure, retinal ischemia, septic shock (such as endotoxic shock), local and/or remote endothelial cell dysfunction (such are recognized by endo-dependent relaxant responses and up-regulation of adhesion molecules), inflammation and skin aging; to extend the lifespan and proliferative capacity of cells, such as, for example, as general mediators in the generation of oxidants, proinflammatory mediators and/or cytokines, and general mediators of leukocyte infiltration, calcium ion overload, phospholipid peroxidation, impaired nitric oxide metabolism and/or reduced ATP production; to alter gene expression of senescent cells; or to radiosensitize hypoxic tumor cells.

PARP (EC 2.4.2.30), also known as PARS (for poly(ADP-ribose synthetase), or ADPRT (for NAD protein (ADP-ribosyl) transferase (polymerising)) is a major nuclear protein of 116 kDa. It is mainly present in almost all eukaryotes. The enzyme synthesizes poly(ADP-ribose), a branched polymer that can consist of over 200 ADP-ribose units from NAD. The protein acceptors of poly(ADP-ribose) are directly or indirectly involved in maintaining DNA integrity. They include histone, topoisomerases, DNA and RNA polymerases, DNA ligases, and Ca²⁻- and Mg²⁻-dependent endonucleases. PARP protein is expressed at a high level in many tissues, most notably in the immune system, heart, brain and germ-line cells. Under normal physiological conditions, there is minimal PARP activity. However, DNA damage causes an immediate activation of PARP by up to 500-fold. Among the many functions attributed to PARP is its major role in facilitating DNA repair by ADP-ribosylation and therefore co-ordinating a number of DNA repair proteins. As a result of PARP activation, NAD levels significantly decline. While many endogenous and exogenous agents have been shown to damage DNA and activate PARP, peroxynitrite, formed from a combination of nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide, appears to be a main perpetrator responsible for various reported disease conditions in vivo. e.g., during shock, stroke and inflammation.

Extensive PARP activation leads to severe depletion of NAD in cells suffering from massive DNA damage. The short life of poly(ADP-ribose) (half-life <1 min) results in a rapid turnover rate. Once poly(ADP-ribose) is formed, it is quickly degraded by the constitutively active poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG), together with phosohodiesterase and (ADP-ribose) protein lyase. PARP and PARG form a cycle that converts a large amount of NAD to ADP-ribose. In less than an hour, over-stimulation of PARP can cause a drop of NAD and ATP to less than 20% of the normal level. Such a scenario is especially detrimental during ischemia when deprivation of oxygen has already drastically compromised cellular energy output. Subsequent free radical production during reperfusion is assumed to be a major cause of tissue damage. Part of the ATP drop, which is typical in many organs during ischaemia and reperfusion, could be linked to NAD depletion due to poly(ADP-ribose) turnover. Thus, PARP or PARG inhibition is expected to preserve the cellular energy level to potentiate the survival of ischaemic tissues after insult.

Poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis is also involved in the induced expression of a number of genes essential for inflammatory response. PARP inhibitors suppress production of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in macrophages. P-type selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in endothelial cells. Such activity underlies the strong anti-inflammation effects exhibited by PARP inhibitors. PARP inhibition is able to reduce necrosis by preventing translocation and infiltration of neutrophils to the injured tissues. (Zhang, J. “PARP inhibition: a novel approach to treat ischaemia/reperfusion and inflammation-related injuries”, Chapter 10 in Emerging Drugs (1999) 4: 209–221. Ashley Publications Ltd., and references cited therein.)

PARP production is activated by damaged DNA fragments which once activated, catalyzes the attachment of up to 100 ADP-ribose units to a variety of nuclear proteins, including histones and PARP itself. During major cellular stresses the extensive activation of PARP can rapidly lead to cell damage or death through depletion of energy stores. As four molecules of ATP are consumed for every molecule of NAD (the source of ADP-ribose and PARP substrate) regenerated, NAD is depleted by massive PARP activation and, in the efforts to re-synthesize NAD. ATP may also be depleted.

It has been reported that PARP activation plays a key role in both NMDA- and NO-induced neurotoxicity. This has been demonstrated in cortical cultures and in hippocampal slices wherein prevention of toxicity is directly correlated to PARP inhibition potency (Zhang et al., “Nitric Oxide Activation of Poly(ADP-Ribose) Synthetase in Neurotoxicity”, Science 263:687–89 (1994) and Wallis et al., “Neuroprotection Against Nitric Oxide Injury with Inhibitors of ADP-Ribosylation”, NeuroReport, 5:3, 245–48 (1993)). The potential role of PARP inhibitors in treating neurodegenerative diseases and head trauma has thus been recognized even if the exact mechanism of action has not yet been elucidated (Endres et al., “Ischemic Brain Injury is Mediated by the Activation of Poly(ADP-Ribose)Polymerase”, J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metabol., 17:1143–51 (1997) and Wallis et al., “Traumatic Neuroprotection with Inhibitors of Nitric Oxide and ADP-Ribosylation”, Brain Res., 710:169–77 (1996)).

Similarly, it has been demonstrated that single injections of PARP inhibitors have reduced the infarct size caused by ischemia and reperfusion of the heart or skeletal muscle in rabbits. In these studies, a single injection of 3-aminobenzamide (10 mg/kg), either one minute before occlusion or one minute before reperfusion, caused similar reductions in infarct size in the heart (32–42%) while 1,5-dihydroxyisoquinoline (1 mg/kg), another PARP inhibitor, reduced infarct size by a comparable degree (38–42%). Thiemermann et al., “Inhibition of the Activity of Poly(ADP Ribose) Synthetase Reduces Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in the Heart and Skeletal Muscle”, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 94:679–83 (1997). These results make it reasonable to suspect that PARP inhibitors could salvage previously ischemic heart or skeletal muscle tissue.

PARP activation can also be used as a measure of damage following neurotoxic insults following over-exposure to any of glutamate (via NMDA receptor stimulation), reactive oxygen intermediates, amyloid 3-protein, N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) or its active metabolite N-methyl-4-phenylpyridine (MPP⁺), which participate in pathological conditions such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Zhang et al., “Poly(ADP-Ribose) Synthetase Activation: An Early Indicator of Neurotoxic DNA Damage”. J. Neurochem., 65:3, 1411–14 (1995). Other studies have continued to explore the role of PARP activation in cerebellar granule cells in vitro and in MPTP neurotoxicity. Cosi et al., “Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase (PARP) Revisited. A New Role for an Old Enzyme: PARP Involvement in Neurodegeneration and PARP Inhibitors as Possible Neuroprotective Agents”. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 825:366–79 (1997): and Cosi et al., “Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors Protect Against MPTP-induced Depletions of Striatal Dopamine and Cortical Noradrenaline in C57B1/6 Mice”, Brain Res., 729:264–69 (1996). Excessive neural exposure to glutamate, which serves as the predominate central nervous system neurotransmitter and acts upon the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and other subtype receptors, most often occurs as a result of stroke or other neurodegenerative processes. Oxygen deprived neurons release glutamate in great quantities during ischemic brain insult such as during a stroke or heart attack. This excess release of glutamate in turn causes over-stimulation (excitetoxicity) of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA). AMPA, Kainate and MGR receptors, which open ion channels and permit uncontrolled ion flow (e.g., Ca²⁺ and Na⁻ into the cells and K⁻ out of the cells) leading to overstimulation of the neurons. The over-stimulated neurons secrete more glutamate, creating a feedback, loop or domino effect which ultimately results in cell damage or or death via the production of proteases, lipases and free radicals. Excessive activation of glutamate receptors has been implicated in various neurological diseases and conditions including epilepsy, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Huntington's disease, schizophrenia, chronic pain, ischemia and neuronal loss following hypoxia, hypoglycemia, ischemia, trauma, and nervous insult. Glutamate exposure and stimulation has also been implicated as a basis for compulsive disorders, particularly drug dependence, Evidence includes findings in many animal species, as well as in cerebral cortical cultures treated with glutamate or NMDA, that glutamate receptor antagonists (i.e., compounds which block glutamate from binding to or activating its receptor) block neural damage following vascular stroke. Dawson et al., “Protection of the Brain from Ischemia”, Cerebrovascular Disease, 319–25 (H. Hunt Batjer ed., 1997,). Attempts to prevent excitotoxicity by blocking NMDA, AMPA, Kainate and MGR receptors have proven difficult because each receptor has multiple sites to which glutamate may bind and hence finding an effective mix of antagonists or universal antagonist to prevent binding of glutamate to all of the receptor and allow testing of this theory, has been difficult. Moreover, many of the compositions that are effective in blocking the receptors are also toxic to animals. As such there is presently no known effective treatment for glutamate abnormalities.

The stimulation of NMDA receptors by glutamate, for example, activates the enzyme neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), leading to the formation of nitric oxide (NO), which also mediates neurotoxicity. NMDA neurotoxicity may be prevented by treatment with nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors or through targeted genetic disruption of nNOS in vitro. Dawson et al., “Nitric Oxide Mediates Glutamate Neurotoxicity in Primary Cortical Cultures”, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 33:6368–71 (1991); and Dawson et al., “Mechanisms of Nitric Oxide-Mediated Neurotoxicity in Primary Brain Cultures”. J. Neurosci., 13:6, 2651–61 (1993), Dawson et al., “Resistance to Neurotoxicity in Cortical Cultures from Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase-Deficient Mice”. J. Neurosci., 16:8, 2479–87 (1996), Iadecola, “Bright and Dark Sides of Nitric Oxide in Ischemic Brain Injury”, Trends Neurosci., 20:3, 132–39 (1997), Huang et al., “Effects of Cerebral Ischemia in Mice Deficient in Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase”, Science, 265: 1883–35 (1994). Beckman et al., “Pathological Implications of Nitric Oxide, Superoxide and Peroxynitrite Formation”, Biochem. Soc. Trans., 21:330–34 (1993), and Szabó et al., “DNA Strand Breakage, Activation of Poly(ADP-Ribose) Synthetase, and Cellular Energy Depletion are Involved in the Cytotoxicity in Macrophages and Smooth Muscle Cells Exposed to Peroxynitrite”, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 93:1753–53 (1996).

It is also known that PARP inhibitors, such as 3-amino benzamide, affect DNA repair generally in response, for example, to hydrogen peroxide or gamma-radiation. Cristovao et al., “Effect of a Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase Inhibitor on DNA Breakage and Cytotoxicity Induced by Hydrogen Peroxide and (−Radiation.” Terato., Carcino., and Muta., 16:219–27 (1996). Specifically, Cristovao et al. observed a PARP-dependent recovery of DNA strand breaks in leukocytes treated with hydrogen peroxide.

PARP inhibitors have been reported to be effective in radiosensitizing hypoxic tumor cells and effective in preventing tumor cells from recovering from potentially lethal damage of DNA after radiation therapy, presumably by their ability to prevent DNA repair. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,032,617; 5,215,738; and 5,041,653.

Evidence also exists that PARP inhibitors are useful for treating inflammatory bowel disorders, such as colitis. Salzman et al., “Role of Peroxynitrite and Poly(ADP-Ribose)Synthase Activation Experimental Colitis,” Japanese J. Pharm., 75, Supp. I:15 (1997). Specifically, Colitis was induced in rats by intraluminal administration of the hapten trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid in 50% ethanol. Treated rats received 3-aminobenzamide, a specific inhibitor of PARP activity. Inhibition of PARP activity reduced the inflammatory response and restored the morphology and the energetic status of the distal colon. See also, Southan et al., “Spontaneous Rearrangement of Aminoalkylithioureas into Mercaptoalkylguanidines, a Novel Class of Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitors with Selectivity Towards the Inducible Isoform”, Br. J. Pharm., 117:619–32 (1996); and Szabó et al., “Mercaptoethylguanidine and Guanidine Inhibitors of Nitric Oxide Synthase React with Peroxynitrite and Protect Against Peroxynitrite-induced Oxidative Damage”, J. Biol. Chem., 272:9030–36 (1997).

Evidence also exists that PARP inhibitors are useful for treating arthritis. Szabó et al., “Protective Effects of an Inhibitor of Poly(ADP-Ribose)Synthetase in Collagen-Induced Arthritis.” Japanese J. Pharm., 75, Supp. I: 102 (1997); Szabó et al., “DNA Strand Breakage, Activation of Poly(ADP-Ribose)Synthetase, and Cellular Energy Depletion are Involved in the Cytotoxicity in Macrophages and Smooth Muscle Cells Exposed to Peroxynitrite,” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 93:1753–58 (March 1996); and Bauer et al., “Modification of Growth Related Enzymatic Pathways and Apparent Loss of Tumorigenicity of a ras-transformed Bovine Endothelial Cell Line by Treatment with 5-Iodo-6-amino-1,2-benzopyrone (INH2BP)”, Intl. J. Oncol., 8:239–52 (1996); and Hughes et al., “Induction of T Helper Cell Hyporesponsiveness in an Experimental Model of Autoimmunity by Using Nonmitogenic Anti-CD3 Monoclonal Antibody”, J. Immuno., 153:3319–25 (1994).

Further, PARP inhibitors appear to be useful for treating diabetes. Heller et al., “Inactivation of the Poly(ADP-Ribose)Polymerase Gene Affects Oxygen Radical and Nitric Oxide Toxicity in Islet Cells.” J. Biol. Chem., 270:19, 11176–80 (May 1995). Heller et al. used cells from mice with inactivated PARP genes and found that these mutant cells did not show NAD⁻ depletion after exposure to DNA-damaging radicals. The mutant cells were also found to be more resistant to the toxicity of NO.

PARP inhibitors have been shown to be useful for treating endotoxic shock or septic shock. Zingarelli et al., “Protective Effects of Nicotinamide Against Nitric Oxide-Mediated Delayed Vascular Failure in Endotoxic Shock: Potential Involvement of PolyADP Ribosyl synthetase.” Shock 5:258–64 (1996), suggests that inhibition of the DNA repair cycle triggered by poly(ADP ribose) synthetase has protective effects against vascular failure in endotoxic shock. Zingarelli et al. found that nicotinamide protects against delayed NO-mediated vascular failure in endotoxic shock. Zingarelli et al. also found that the actions of nicotinamide may be related to inhibition of the NO-mediated activation of the energy-consuming DNA repair cycle, triggered by poly(ADP ribose) synthetase. Cuzzocrea, “Role of Peroxynitrite and Activation of Poly(ADP-Ribose) Synthetase in the Vascular Failure Induced by Zymosan-activated Plasma.” Brit. J. Pharm., 123:493–503 (1997).

PARP inhibitors have been used to treat cancer. Suto et al., “Dihydroisoquinolinones: The Design and Synthesis of a New Series of Potent Inhibitors of Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase”, Anticancer Drug Des., 7:107–17 (1991). In addition, Suto et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,075, discusses several isoquinolines used for enhancing the lethal effects of ionizing radiation or chemotherapeutic agents on tumor cells. Weltin et al., “Effect of 6(5H)-Phenanthridinone, an Inhibitor of Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase, on Cultured Tumor Cells”, Oncol. Res., 6:9, 399–403 (1994), discusses the inhibition of PARP activity, reduced proliferation of tumor cells, and a marked synergistic effect when tumor cells are co-treated with an alkylating drug.

Still another use for PARP inhibitors is the treatment of peripheral nerve injuries, and the resultant pathological pain syndrome known as neuropathic pain, such as that induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the common sciatic nerve and in which transsynaptic alteration of spinal cord dorsal horn characterized by hyperchromatosis of cytoplasm and nucleoplasm (so-called “dark” neurons) occurs. Mao et al., Pain, 72:355–366 (1997).

PARP inhibitors have also been used to extend the lifespan and proliferative capacity of cells including treatment of diseases such as skin aging Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscular dystrophy, degenerative diseases of skeletal muscle involving replicative senescence, age-related muscular degeneration, immune senescence, AIDS, and other immune senescence diseases; and to alter gene expression of senescent cells. WO 98/27975.

Large numbers of known PARP inhibitors have been described in Banasik et al., “Specific inhibitors of Poly(ADP-Ribose) Synthetase and Mono(ADP-Ribosyl)-Transferase”, J. Biol. Chem., 267:3, 1569–75 (1992), and in Banasik et al., “Inhibitors and Activators of ADP-Ribosylation Reactions”, Molec. Cell. Biochem., 138:185–97 (1994). However, effective use of these PARP inhibitors, in the ways discussed above, has been limited by the concurrent production of unwanted side-effects (Milam et al., “Inhibitors of Poly(Adenosine Diphosphate-Ribose) Synthesis: Effect on Other Metabolic Processes”, Science 2239:589–91 (1984).

There continues to be a need for effective and potent PARP inhibitors which produce minimal side-effects. The present invention provides compounds, compositions for, and methods of, inhibiting PARP activity for treating and/or preventing cellular, tissue and/or organ damage resulting from cell damage or death due to, for example, necrosis or apoptosis. The compounds and compositions of the present invention are specifically useful in ameliorating, treating and/or preventing neural tissue or cell damage, including that following local ischemia and reperfusion injury. Generally, inhibition of PARP activity spares the cell from energy loss preventing irreversable depolarization of the neurons and, thus, provides neuroprotection. While not wishing to be bound by any mechanistic theory, the inhibition of PARP activity by use of the compounds, compositions and methods of the present invention is believed to protect cells, tissue and organs by protection against the ill-effects of reactive free radicals and nitric oxide. The present invention therefore also provides methods of treating and/or preventing cells, tissue and/or organs from reactive free radical and/or nitric oxide induced damage or injury.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides substituted 4,9-dihydrocyclopenta[imn]phenanthridine-5-ones, derivatives thereof and their uses compounds which inhibit poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (“PARP”), compositions containing these compounds and methods for making and using these PARP inhibitors to treat, prevent and/or ameliorate the effects of the conditions described herein.

The compounds of the present invention are broadly described by the following Formula I:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, hydrate, prodrug, or mixtures thereof, wherein:

-   -   R₁ hydrogen, OH, halogen, amino, or nitro;     -   R₂ is independently, —TP, hydrogen, OH, halogen, amino, nitro,         —SO₂OH or acetylamino;     -   wherein T is one of

and

-   -   P is Z—(N(R₃R₄)), such as Z—N(R₃R₄), Z or a 5 or 6 membered         substituted or unsubstituted aromatic or non-aromatic ring which         contains 0, 1, 2 or 3 heteroatoms selected from the group         consisting of O, N, S and a combination of two or three of O, N         and S;     -   Q is methylene, hydroxymethyl, carbonyl, >CHNH₂, NH, S,         >C—O—C(O)(C₁–C₆alkyl) or O; and     -   n is 1 or 2, where n indicates the number of substitutions on         the ring;     -   wherein A is carbon or S═O.     -   X is O, S, N or an N-substituted amino acid.

provided that,

-   -   when R₂ is hydrogen, Q is NH, S or O;     -   when R₂ is OH, halogen, amino, nitro or acetylamino, n=1 and R₁         is hydrogen, then Q is not methylene or carbonyl;     -   when X is O or S, then Y is absent,     -   when X is N, then Y is hydrogen, C₁–C₆ straight or branched         chain alkyl, optionally substituted alkoxy or alkyl amino, or Y         and Z are taken together to form a 5, 6 or 7 membered         heterocyclic aromatic or non-aromatic ring which contains 1, 2         or 3 heteroatoms selected from O, N, S and combinations thereof,         unsubstituted or optionally substituted, for example, with at         least one of a halogen, a carboxy, hydroxy, nitro, an amino, an         alkyl, an aryl, a heteroaryl, an alkoxy, a cycloalkyl, or a         heterocycloalkyl;     -   Z is hydrogen, a direct bond, a carbonyl, an optionally         substituted C₁–C₆ straight or branched chain alkyl, heteroalkyl,         cycloalkyl, carboxy, optionally substituted C₁–C₆ ether, aryl or         heteroaryl, alkylalkenyl, alkynyl, amino, alkylhalo, straight or         branched chain, aryl, cycloalkyl, or CH₂COOH, provided that when         P is Z, Z is not hydrogen and     -   R₃ and R₄ are independently hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower         alkenyl, lower alkanol, heterocycle, heteroaryl, alkoxy,         aryloxy, alkylamino, arylamino, CH₂COOH, or R₃ and R₄ taken         together form a 5, 6 or 7 membered heterocyclic or cycloalkyl         ring containing 1, 2 or 3 heteroatoms selected from O, N, S and         combinations thereof, unsubstituted or optionally substituted,         for example, with at least one of a halogen, a carboxy, hydroxy,         nitro, an amino, an alkyl, an aryl, a heteroaryl, an alkoxy, a         cycloalkyl, or a heterocycloalkyl;

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the distribution of the cross-sectional infarct area at representative levels along the rostrocaudal axis, as measured from the interaural line in non-treated animals and in animals treated with 10 mg/kg of 3,4-dihydro-5-[4-(1-piperidinyl)-botoxyl]-1(2H)-isoquinolinone.

FIG. 2 shows the effect of intraperitoneal administration of 3,4-dihydro-5-[4-(1-piperidinyl)-butoxy]-1(2H)-isoquinolinone on the infarct volume.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention pertains to compounds, pharmaceutical compositions containing the same, methods of using the same, and process of making the same, wherein such compounds are useful as inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). As such, they treat or prevent neural tissue damage resulting from cell damage or death due to necrosis or apoptosis, cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury or neurodegenerative diseases in an animal: they extend the lifespan and proliferative capacity of cells and thus can be used to treat or prevent diseases associated therewith; they alter gene expression of senescent cells; and they radiosensitize hypoxic tumor cells. Preferably, the compounds of the invention treat or prevent tissue damage resulting from cell damage or death due to necrosis or apoptosis, and/or effect neuronal activity, either mediated or not mediated by NMDA toxicity. These compounds are thought to interfere with more than the glutamate neurotoxicity and NO-mediated biological pathways. Further, the compounds of the invention can treat or prevent other tissue damage related to PARP activation. The present invention provides compounds which inhibit poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (“PARP”), compositions containing these compounds and methods for using these PARP inhibitors to treat, prevent and/or ameliorate the effects of the conditions described herein.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides compounds of Formula I:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, hydrate, prodrug, or mixtures thereof, wherein:

-   -   R₁ hydrogen, OH, halogen, amino, or nitro;     -   R₂ is independently, —TP, hydrogen, OH, halogen, amino, nitro,         —SO₂OH or acetylamino;     -   wherein T is one of

and

-   -   P is Z—N(R₃R₄), Z or a 5 or 6 membered substituted or         unsubstituted aromatic or non-aromatic ring which contains 0, 1,         2 or 3 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, N, S         and a combination of two or three of O, N and S;     -   Q is methylene, hydroxymethyl, carbonyl, S, NH, >CHNH₂,         >C—O—C(O)(C₁–C₆alkyl) or O; and     -   n is 1 or 2, wherein n indicates the number of substitutions on         the ring;     -   wherein A is carbon or S═O,         -   X is O, S, N or an N-substituted amino acid;     -   provided that,         -   when R₂ is hydrogen, Q is NH, S or O;         -   when X is O or S, then Y is absent,         -   when X is N, then Y is hydrogen, C₁–C₆ straight or branched             chain alkyl, alkoxy or alkyl amino, or Y and Z are taken             together to form a 5, 6 or 7 membered heterocyclic aromatic             or non-aromatic ring which contains 1, 2 or 3 heteroatoms             selected from O, N, S and combinations thereof,             unsubstituted or optionally substituted for example, with at             least one of a halogen, a carboxy, hydroxy, nitro, an amino,             an alkyl, an aryl, a heteroaryl, an alkoxy, a cycloalkyl, or             a heterocycloalkyl;         -   Z is hydrogen, a direct bond, a carbonyl or an optionally             substituted C₁–C₆ straight or branched chain alkyl,             heteroalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkylhalo, aryl, cycloalkyl,             or CH₂COOH, provided that when P is Z, Z is not hydrogen and         -   R₃ and R₄ are independently hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower             alkenyl, lower alkenol, heterocycle, heteroaryl, alkoxy,             aryloxy, alkylamino, arylamino, CH₂COOH, or R₃ and R₄ taken             together form a 5, 6 or 7 membered heterocyclic or             cycloalkyl ring containing 1, 2 or 3 heteroatoms selected             from O, N, S and combinations thereof, unsubstituted or             optionally substituted, for example, with at least one of a             halogen, a carboxy, hydroxy, nitro, an amino, an alkyl, an             aryl, a heteroaryl, an alkoxy, a cycloalkyl, or a             heterocycloalkyl.

In yet a further embodiment, the present invention provides the following compounds of Formulas (II) and (III):

wherein R₁–R₁, Q, X, Y and Z are as defined above.

In one embodiment, the compounds of the invention are described by the compound of Formula I, wherein T is

and X is N. Preferred compounds of this embodiment are further defined by A as carbon and P as Z—N(R₃R₄), more preferably where R₃ and R₄ form a 5 or 6 membered substituted or unsubstituted heterocycle. Alternative compounds of the preferred compounds of this embodiment are further defined by R₃ and R₄ being independently selected from hydrogen, lower alkyl, alkoxy, alkylamino and CH₂COOH. Preferably n=1.

In another embodiment, the compounds of the invention are described by the compound of Formula I, wherein T is

and X is N and A as S═O. Preferred embodiments include compounds wherein and P is a 5 or 6 membered substituted or unsubstituted aromatic or non-aromatic ring which contains 0, 1, 2 or 3 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of O, N, S. Z in these compounds is preferably and aromatic ring containing 0 heteroatoms. Preferably n=1.

In a further embodiment, the compounds of the invention are described by the compound of Formula I, wherein T is

and X is N. Preferred embodiments include compounds wherein and Z and Y are taken together to form a 5, 6 or 7 membered substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic aromatic or non-aromatic ring, preferably a non-aromatic ring. Alternatively preferred compounds of this embodiment include compounds wherein P is Z—N(R₃R₄). Preferably n=1.

In yet another embodiment, the compounds of the invention are described by the compound of Formula I, wherein T is

A is S═O, X is N, Y is H and P is Z—N(R₃R₄). Preferably, in this embodiment, R₃ and R₄ combine to form a heterocyclic non-aromatic ring containing, preferably, two of O and N. Preferably, n=1 in this embodiment and Z is preferably alkyl. Q is preferably methylene.

In yet another embodiment, the compounds of the invention are described by the compound of Formula I, wherein T is

A is S═O, X is N, P is Z and Z and Y combine to form a 6 membered non-aromatic heterocyclic ring, which may be substituted with, for example, C₁–C₆ alkyl or unsubstituted. The heterocycle preferably contains 2 nitrogen atoms. Preferably, n=1 in this embodiment. Q is preferably methylene.

In a further embodiment, the compounds of the invention are described by the compound of Formula I, wherein T is

A is S═O, X is N, Y is H and P is Z—N(R₃R₄)). Preferably, in this embodiment, R₃ and R₄ combine to form a heterocyclic aromatic ring containing, preferably, one of O and N. Preferably, n=1 in this embodiment and Z is preferably alkyl. Q is preferably methylene.

In a yet a further embodiment, the compounds of the invention are described by the compound of Formula I, wherein T is

A is S═O, X is N, Y is H and P is Z—N(R₃R₄). Preferably, in this embodiment, R₃ and R₄ combine to form a heterocyclic non-aromatic ring containing, preferably, one of O and N. Preferably, n=1 in this embodiment and Z is preferably alkyl. Q is preferably methylene.

In a yet a further embodiment, the compounds of the invention are described by the compound of Formula I, wherein T is

A is carbon, X is N, Y is H and P is Z. Preferably, in this embodiment, Z is alkyl, alkenyl, alkylhalo, aryl or cycloalkyl. More preferably, Z is a 6-membered substituted or unsubstituted aromatic ring, wherein the alternative substitutions are preferably selected from halogen, hydroxyl, amino, nitro, and acetylamino. Preferably, n=1 in this embodiment. Q is preferably methylene.

In one embodiment of the invention, the compounds of the invention are described by the compounds of Formula I wherein when R₂ is OH, halogen, amino, nitro or acetylamino, and n=1, then Q is >C—O—C(O)(C₁–C₆alkyl).

In a further embodiment of the invention, the compounds of the invention are described by the compounds of Formula I wherein when R₂ is OH halogen, amino, nitro or acetylamino, n=1 and R₁ is hydrogen, then Q is not methylene.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the compounds of the invention are described by the compounds of Formula I wherein when R₂ is OH, halogen, amino, nitro or acetylamino. n=1 and R₁ is hydrogen, then Q is not carbonyl.

Compositions containing these preferred and alternate embodiments and methods of making and using the same, as described herein, are also preferred.

Preferably, the compounds of the invention exhibit an IC₅₀ for inhibiting PARP in vitro, as measured by the methods described herein, of about 20:M or less, preferably less than about 10:M, more preferably less than about 1:M, or less than 0.1:M, most preferably less than about 0.01:M.

Specific embodiments of the present invention include the compounds shown below in the examples and Table III, and neutral and/or salt forms thereof, where appropriate.

Broadly, the compounds and compositions of the present invention can be used to treat or prevent cell damage or death due to necrosis or apoptosis, cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury or neurodegenerative diseases in an animal, such as a human. The compounds and compositions of the present invention can be used to extend the lifespan and proliferative capacity of cells and thus can be used to treat or prevent diseases associated therewith; they alter gene expression of senescent cells: and they radiosensitize hypoxic tumor cells. Preferably, the compounds and compositions of the invention can be used to treat or prevent tissue damage resulting from cell damage or death due to necrosis or apoptosis, and/or effect neuronal activity, either mediated or not mediated by NMDA toxicity. The compounds of the present invention are not limited to being useful in treating glutamate mediated neurotoxicity and/or NO-mediated biological pathways. Further, the compounds of the invention can be used to treat or prevent other tissue damage related to PARP activation, as described herein.

The present invention provides compounds which inhibit the in vitro and/or in vivo polymerase activity of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and compositions containing the disclosed compounds. Specifically exemplified compounds of the present invention include compounds of the examples, as described below. Compositions containing the same are specific examples of the present invention.

The present invention provides methods to inhibit limit and/or control the in vitro and/or in vivo polymerase activity of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in any of solutions, cells, tissues, organs or organ systems. In one embodiment the present invention provides methods of limiting or inhibiting PARP activity in a mammal, such as a human, either locally or systemically.

The present invention provides methods to treat and/or prevent diseases, syndromes and/or conditions exacerbated by or involving the increased generation of PARP. These methods involve application or administration of the compounds of the present invention to cells, tissues, organs or organ systems of a person in need of such treatment or prevention.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides methods to treat and/or prevent cardiovascular tissue damage resulting from cardiac ischemia or reperfusion injury. Reperfusion injury, for instance, occurs at the termination of cardiac bypass procedures or during cardiac arrest when the heart, once prevented from receiving blood, begins to reperfuse and these methods involve administration of the compounds and compositions of the present invention preferably prior to, or immediately subsequent to reperfusion, such that reperfusion injury is prevented, treated or reduced. The present invention also provides methods of preventing and/or treating vascular stroke, cardiovascular disorders

In another embodiment, the present invention provides in vitro or in vivo methods to extend or increase the lifespan and/or proliferation capacity of cells and thus also methods to treat and/or prevent diseases associated therewith and induced or exacerbated by cellular senescence including skin aging, atherosclerosis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscular dystrophy, degenerative diseases of skeletal muscle involving replicative senescence, age-related muscular degeneration, immune senescence, AIDS and other immune senescence diseases, and other diseases associated with cellular senescence and aging as well as to alter the gene expression of senescent cells.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides methods of treating or preventing or ameliorating the effect of cancer and/or to radiosensitize hypoxic tumor cells to render the tumor cells more susceptible to radiation therapy and thereby to prevent the tumor cells from recovering from potentially lethal damage of DNA after radiation therapy. A method of this embodiment is directed to specifically and preferentially radiosensitizing tumor cells rendering the tumor cells more susceptible to radiation therapy than non-tumor cells.

In yet another embodiment the present invention provides methods of preventing and/or treating vascular stroke, cardiovascular disorders; to treat other conditions and/or disorders such as age-related muscular degeneration. AIDS and other immune senescence diseases, inflammation, arthritis, gout, atherosclerosis, cachexia, cancer, degenerative diseases of skeletal muscle involving replicative senescence diabetes, head trauma, spinal chord injury, immune senescence, gout, inflammation, inflammatory bowel disorders (such as colitis and Crohn's disease), acute pancreatitis, mucositis, hemorrhagic shock, splanchnic artery occlusion shock, multiple organ failure (such as involving any of the kidney, liver, renal, pulmonary, retinal, pancreatic and/or skeletal muscles systems), acute autoimmune thyroiditis, muscular dystrophy, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, chronic and/or acute pain (such as neuropathic pain), renal failure, retinal ischemia, septic shock (such as endotoxic shock), local and/or remote endothelial cell dysfunction (such are recognized by endo-dependent relaxant responses and up-regulation of adhesion molecules), inflammation and skin aging.

The compounds of the present invention may be administered, for example, parenterally, to a person diagnosed with acute retinal ischemia or acute vascular strokes either by intermittent or continuous intravenous administration, by either a single dose or a series of divided doses. Compounds of the invention may be used in combination or sequentially. The compound of the invention can be administered by intermittent or continuous administration via implantation of a biocompatible, biodegradable polymeric matrix delivery system containing a compound of formula I, II, or III, or via a subdural pump inserted to administer the compound directly to the infarct area of the brain.

In a further embodiment, the present invention provides methods to extend the lifespan and proliferative capacity of cells, such as, for example, in using the compounds of the invention as general mediators in the generation of oxidants, proinflammatory mediators and/or cytokines, and/or general mediators of leukocyte infiltration, calcium ion overload, phospholipid peroxidation, impaired nitric oxide metabolism and/or reduced ATP production.

For example, the compounds of the invention can treat or prevent cardiovascular tissue damage resulting from cardiac ischemia or reperfusion injury. Reperfusion injury, for instance, occurs at the termination of cardiac bypass procedures or during cardiac arrest when the heart, once prevented from receiving blood, begins to reperfuse.

The compounds of the present invention can also be used to extend or increase the lifespan or proliferation of cells and thus to treat or prevent diseases associated therewith and induced or exacerbated by cellular senescence including skin aging, atherosclerosis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscular dystrophy, degenerative diseases of skeletal muscle involving replicative senescence, age-related muscular degeneration, immune senescence, AIDS and other immune senescence diseases, and other diseases associated with cellular senescence and aging, as well as to alter the gene expression of senescent cells. These compounds can also be used to treat cancer and to radiosensitize hypoxic tumor cells to render the tumor cells more susceptible to radiation therapy and to prevent the tumor cells from recovering from potentially lethal damage of DNA after radiation therapy, presumably by their ability to prevent DNA repair. The compounds of the present invention can be used to prevent or treat vascular stroke; to treat or prevent cardiovascular disorders; to treat other conditions and/or disorders such as age-related muscular degeneration. AIDS and other immune senescence diseases, inflammation, arthritis, gout, atherosclerosis, cachexia, cancer, degenerative diseases of skeletal muscle involving replicative senescence, diabetes, head trauma, immune senescence, gout, inflammatory bowel disorders (such as colitis and Crohn's disease), muscular dystrophy, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, chronic and/or acute pain (such as neuropathic pain), renal failure, retinal ischemia, septic shock (such as endotoxic shocks), and skin aging.

Preferably, the compounds of the invention act as PARP inhibitors to treat or prevent tissue damage resulting from cell death or damage due to necrosis or apoptosis; to treat or prevent neural tissue damage resulting from cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury or neurodegenerative diseases in an animal; to extend and increase the lifespan and proliferative capacity of cells; to alter gene expression of senescent cells; and to radiosensitize tumor cells.

Another especially preferred embodiment of the invention is a pharmaceutical composition which comprises (i) a therapeutically effective amount of the compound of formula I, II, or III; and (ii) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

As used herein, “alkyl” means a branched or unbranched saturated hydrocarbon chain comprising a designated number of carbon atoms. For example, C₁–C₆ straight or branched alkyl hydrocarbon chain contains 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and includes but is not limited to substituents such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, iso-propyl, butyl, iso-butyl, tert-butyl, n-pentyl, n-hexyl, and the like, unless otherwise indicated.

Optional substitutions of alkyl and ether chains include mercapto, carboxy, hydroxy, or phenyl, benzyl, or phenylethyl, which may themselves be substituted by hydroxy, halo, methoxy, C₁–C₆ alkyl, amine and carboxy.

“Alkenyl” means a branched or unbranched unsaturated hydrocarbon chain comprising a designated number of carbon atoms. For example, C₂–C₆ straight or branched alkenyl hydrocarbon chain contains 2 to 6 carbon atoms having at least one double bond, and includes but is not limited to substituents such as ethenyl, propenyl, isopropenyl, butenyl, iso-butenyl, tert-butenyl, n-pentenyl, n-hexenyl, and the like, unless otherwise indicated.

“Alkoxy”, means the group —OR wherein R is alkyl as herein defined. Preferably, R is a branched or unbranched saturated hydrocarbon chain containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

“Cyclo”, used herein as a prefix, refers to a structure characterized by a closed ring.

“Halo” means at least one fluoro, chloro, bromo, or iodo moiety, unless otherwise indicated.

“Amino” compounds include amine (NH₂) as well as substituted amino groups comprising alkyls of one through six carbons.

“Ar”, “aryl” or “heteroaryl” means a moiety which is substituted or unsubstituted, especially a cyclic or fused cyclic ring and includes a mono-, bi-, or tricyclic, carbo- or heterocyclic ring such as a 5, 6, 7 or 8 membered ring, wherein the ring is either unsubstituted or substituted in, for example, one to five position(s) with halo, haloalkyl, hydroxyl, nitro, trifluoromethyl. C₁–C₆ straight or branched chain alkyl. C₂–C₆ straight or branched chain alkenyl, C₁–C₆ alkoxy, —C(O)—O(C₁–C₆ alkyl), carboxy, C₂–C₆ alkenyloxy, phenoxy, benzyloxy, amino, thiocarbonyl, ester, thioester, cyano, imino, alkylamino, aminoalkyl, sulfhydryl, thioalkyl, and sulfonyl; wherein the individual ring sizes are preferably 5–8 members: wherein the heterocyclic ring contains 1–4 heteroatom(s) selected from the group consisting of O, N, or S or their mixture; wherein aromatic or tertiary alkyl amines are optionally oxidized to a corresponding N-oxide. Heteroaryls may be attached to other rings or substituted through the heteroatom and/or carbon atom of the ring. Particularly preferred aryl or heteroaryl moieties include but are not limited to phenyl, benzyl, naphthyl, piperidino, pyrrolyl, pyrrolidinyl, pyridinyl, pyrimidinyl, purinyl, quinolinyl, isoquinolinyl, furyl, thiophenyl, imidazolyl, oxazolyl, thiazolyl, pyrazolyl, and thienyl.

“Phenyl” includes all possible isomeric phenyl radicals, optionally monosubstituted or multi-substituted with substituents selected from the group consisting of amino, trifluoromethyl, C₁–C₆ straight or branched chain alkyl, C₂–C₆ straight or branched chain alkenyl, carbonyl, thiocarbonyl, ester, thioester, alkoxy, alkenoxy, cyano, nitro, imino, alkylamino, aminoalkyl, sulfhydryl, thioalkyl, sulfonyl, hydroxy, halo, haloalkyl, NR₂ wherein R₂ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen. (C₁–C₆)-straight or branched chain alkyl, (C₃–C₄) straight or branched chain alkenyl or alkynyl and 2, 3 or 4 fused phenyl rings.

Cycloalkyl optionally containing at least one heteroatom, to form a heterocyclic ring, includes saturated C₃–C₈ rings, preferably C₅ or C₆ rings, wherein at 1, 2, 3 or 4 heteroatoms selected from O, N or S may be optionally substituted for a carbon atom of the ring. Cycloalkyls optionally containing at least one heteroatom, as described above, may be substituted by or fused to at least one 5 or 6 membered aryl or heteroaryl and/or substituted by at least one of amino. C₁–C₅ straight or branched chain alkyl, C₁–C₆ alkanol, C₁–C₆ straight or branched chain alkylamino, C₁–C₆ alkoxy, or C₁–C₆ alkenyl, or benzyl, or phenyl or phenylethyl wherein the ring may be substituted as described above for substitutions of “Phenyl”.

Preferred cycloalkyls containing at least one heteroatom include

pyrrolidinyl, imidazolidinyl, pyrazolidinyl, piperidinyl, piperazinyl, morpholino and thiomorpholino.

The compounds of the present invention possess one or more asymmetric center(s) and thus can be produced as mixtures (racemic and non-racemic) of stereoisomers, or as individual enantiomers or diastereomers. The individual stereoisomers may be obtained by using an optically active starting material, by resolving a racemic or non-racemic mixture of an intermediate at some appropriate stage of the synthesis, or by resolution of the compound of any of formulas I, II, or III. It is understood that the individual stereoisomers as well as mixtures (racemic and non-racemic) of stereoisomers are encompassed by the scope of the present invention.

The compounds of the invention are useful in a free base form, in the form of pharmaceutically acceptable salts, pharmaceutically acceptable hydrates, pharmaceutically acceptable esters, pharmaceutically acceptable solvates, pharmaceutically acceptable prodrugs, pharmaceutically acceptable metabolites, and in the form of pharmaceutically acceptable stereoisomers. These forms are all within the scope of the invention. In practice, the use of these forms amounts to use of the neutral compound.

“Pharmaceutically acceptable salt”, “hydrate”, “ester” or “solvate” refers to a salt, hydrate, ester, or solvate of the inventive compounds which possesses the desired pharmacological activity and which is neither biologically nor otherwise undesirable. Organic acids can be used to produce salts, hydrates, esters, or solvates such as acetate, adipate, alginate, aspartate, benzoate, benzenesulfonate, p-toluenesulfonate, bisulfate, sulfamate, sulfate, naphthylate, butyrate, citrate, camphorate, camphorsulfonate, cyclocentane-propionate, digluconate, dodecylsulfate, ethanesulfonate, fumarate, glucoheptanoate, glycerophosphate, hemisulfate heptanoate, hexanoate, 2-hydroxyethanesulfonate, lactate, maleate, methanesulfonate, 2-naphthalenesulfonate, nicotinate, oxalate, tosylate and undecanoate. Inorganic acids can be used to produce salts, hydrates, esters, or solvates such as hydrochloride, hydrobromide, hydroiodide, and thiocyanate.

Examples of suitable base salts, hydrates, esters, or solvates include hydroxides, carbonates, and bicarbonates of ammonia, alkali metal salts such as sodium, lithium and potassium salts, alkaline earth metal salts such as calcium and magnesium salts, aluminum salts, and zinc salts.

Salts, hydrates, esters, or solvates may also be formed with organic bases. Organic bases suitable for the formation of pharmaceutically acceptable base addition salts, hydrates, esters, or solvates of the compounds of the present invention include those that are non-toxic and strong enough to form such salts, hydrates, esters, or solvates. For purposes of illustration, the class of such organic bases may include mono-, di-, and trialkylamines, such as methylamine, dimethylamine, triethylamine and dicyclohexylamine; mono-, di- or trihydroxalkylamines, such as mono-, di-, and triethanolamine: amino acids, such as arginine and lysine: guanidine; N-methyl-glucosamine; N-methyl-glucamine; L-glutamine; N-methyl-piperazine; morpholine; ethylenediamine; N-benzyl-phenethylamine; (trihydroxy-methyl)aminoethane; and the like. See, for example, “Pharmaceutical Salts,” Pharm. Sci., 66:1, 1–19 (1977). Accordingly, basic nitrogen-containing groups can be quaternized with agents including: lower alkyl halides such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl chlorides, bromides and iodides: dialkyl sulfates such as dimethyl, diethyl, dibutyl and diamyl sulfates; long chain halides such as decyl, lauryl, myristyl and stearyl chlorides, bromides and iodides; and aralkyl halides such as benzyl and phenethyl bromides.

The acid addition salts, hydrates, esters, or solvates of the basic compounds may be prepared either by dissolving the free base of a PARP inhibitor of the present invention in an aqueous or an aqueous alcohol solution or other suitable solvent containing the appropriate acid or base, and isolating the salt by evaporating the solution. Alternatively, the free base of the PARP inhibitor of the present invention can be reacted with an acid, as well as reacting the PARP inhibitor having an acid group thereon with a base, such that the reactions are in an organic solvent, in which case the salt separates directly or can be obtained by concentrating the solution.

“Pharmaceutically acceptable prodrug” refers to a derivative of the inventive compounds which undergoes biotransformation prior to exhibiting its pharmacological effect(s). The prodrug is formulated with the objective(s) of improved chemical stability, improved patient acceptance and compliance, improved bioavailability, prolonged duration of action, improved organ selectivity, improved formulation (e.g., increased hydrosolubility), and/or decreased side effects (e.g., toxicity). The prodrug can be readily prepared from the inventive compounds using methods known in the art, such as those described by Burger's Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Chemistry, Fifth Ed., Vol. 1. pp. 172–178, 949–982 (1995). For example, the inventive compounds can be transformed into prodrugs by converting one or more of the hydroxy or carboxy groups into esters.

“Pharmaceutically acceptable metabolite” refers to drugs that have undergone a metabolic transformation. After entry into the body, most drugs are substrates for chemical reactions that may change their physical properties and biologic effects. These metabolic conversions, which usually affect the polarity of the compound, alter the way in which drugs are distributed in and excreted from the body. However, in some cases, metabolism of a drug is required for therapeutic effect, or example, anticancer drugs of the antimetabolite class must be converted to their active forms after they have been transported into a cancer cell. Since most drugs undergo metabolic transformation of some kind, the biochemical reactions that play a role in drug metabolism may be numerous and diverse. The main site of drug metabolism is the liver, although other tissues may also participate.

The term “neurodegenerative diseases” includes Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease.

The term “nervous insult” refers to any damage to nervous tissue and any disability or death resulting therefrom. The cause of nervous insult may be metabolic, toxic, neurotoxic, iatrogenic, thermal or chemical, and includes without limitation, ischemia, hypoxia, cerebrovascular accident, trauma, surgery, pressure, mass effect, hemmorrhage, radiation, vasospasm, neurodegenerative disease, infection, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), myelination/demyelination process, epilepsy, cognitive disorder, glutamate abnormality and secondary effects thereof.

The term “neuroprotective” refers to the effect of reducing, arresting or ameliorating nervous insult, and protecting, resuscitating, or reviving nervous tissue that has suffered nervous insult.

The term “preventing neurodegeneration” includes the ability to prevent neurodegeneration in patients diagnosed as having a neurodegenerative disease or who are at risk of developing a neurodegenerative disease. The term also encompasses preventing further neurodegeneration in patients who are already suffering from or have symptoms of a neurodegenerative disease.

The term “treating” refers to:

(i) preventing a disease, disorder or condition from occurring in an animal that may be predisposed to the disease, disorder and/or condition, but has not yet been diagnosed as having it;

(ii) inhibiting the disease, disorder or condition, i.e., arresting its development; and

(iii) relieving the disease, disorder or condition, i.e., causing regression of the disease, disorder and/or condition.

The term “neural tissue damage resulting from ischemia and reperfusion injury and neurodegenerative diseases” includes neurotoxicity, such as seen in vascular stroke and global and focal ischemia.

A feature characteristic of man, of these transformations is that the metabolic products are more polar than the parent drugs, although a polar drug does sometimes yield a less polar product. Substances with high lipid/water partition coefficients, which pass easily across membranes, also diffuse back readily from tubular urine through the renal tubular cells into the plasma. Thus, such substances tend to have a low renal clearance and a long persistence in the body. If a drug is metabolized to a more polar compound, one with a lower partition coefficient, its tubular reabsorption will be greatly reduced. Moreover, the specific secretory mechanisms for anions and cations in the proximal renal tubules and in the parenchymal liver cells operate upon highly polar substances.

As a specific example, phenacetin (acetophenetidin) and acetanilide are both mild analgesic and antipyretic agents, but are each transformed within the body to a more polar and more effective metabolite, p-hydroxyacetanilid (acetaminophen), which is widely used today. When a dose of acetanilid is given to a person, the successive metabolites peak and decay in he plasma sequentially. During the first hour, acetanilid is the principal plasma component, in the second hour, as the acetanilid level falls, the metabolite acetaminophen concentration reaches a peak. Finally, after a few hours, the principal plasma component is a further metabolite that is inert and can be excreted from the body. Thus, the plasma concentrations of one or more metabolites, as well as the drug itself, can be pharmacologically important.

The reactions involved in drug metabolism are often classified into two groups, as shown in the Table II. Phase I (or functionalization) reactions generally consist of (1) oxidative and reductive reactions that alter and create new functional groups and (2) hydrolytic reactions that cleave esters and amides to release masked functional groups. These changes are usually in the direction of increased polarity.

Phase II reactions are conjugation reactions in which the drug, or often a metabolite of the drug, is coupled to an endogenous substrate, such as glucuronic acid, acetic acid, or sulfuric acid.

TABLE II Phase I Reactions (functionalization reactions): (1) Oxidation via the hepatic microsomal P450 system: Aliphatic oxidation Aromatic hydroxylation N-Dealkylation C-Dealkylation S-Dealkylation Epoxidation Oxidative deamination Sulfoxide formation Desulfuration N-Oxidation and N-hydroxylation Dehalogenation (2) Oxidation via nonmicrosomal mechanisms: Alcohol and aldehyde oxidation Purine oxidation Oxidative deamination (monoamine oxidase and diamine oxidase) (3) Reduction: Azo and nitro reduction (4) Hydrolysis: Ester and amide hydrolysis Peptide bond hydrolysis Epoxide hydration Phase II Reactions (conjugation reactions): (1) Glucuronidation (2) Acetylation (3) Mercapturic acid formation (4) Sulfate conjugation (5) N-, O-, and S-methylation (6) Trans-sulfuration

The compounds or the present invention exhibit pharmacological activity and are therefore, useful as pharmaceuticals. In particular, the compounds exhibit central nervous and cardiac vesicular system activity. It is understood that tautomeric forms, when possible, are included in the invention.

Many of the PARP inhibitors are known and, thus, can be synthesized by known methods from starting materials that are known, may be available commercially, or may be prepared by methods used to prepare corresponding compounds in the literature. See, for example, Suto et al., “Dihydroiso-quinolinones: The Design and Synthesis of a New Series of Potent Inhibitors of Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase”, Anticancer Drug Des., 6:107–17 (1991), which discloses processes for synthesizing a number of different PARP inhibitors.

Typically, the PARP inhibitors used in the composition of the invention will have an IC₅₀ for inhibiting poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase in vitro of about 20:M or less, preferably less than about 10:M more preferably less than about 1:M, or preferably less than about 0.1:M most preferably less than about 0.01:M.

The PARP inhibitor 3,4-dihydro-5-(4-(1-piperidinyl)butoxy]-1(2H)-isoquinolinone, for example, has been reported to inhibit PARP with an IC₅₀ of 40 nM by Suto et al., cited above.

4[H]cyclopenta[lmn]phenathridin-5-onederivatives of this invention are represented by previously defined formula I, II, III. As an example, the 5,9-dihydro-4[H]cyclopenta[lmn]phenathridin-5-ene derivatives of this invention can be prepared in a conventional manner as illustrated below by Schemes 1–3. The tetracyclic 5,9-dihydro-4[H]cyclopenta[lmn]phenathridin-5-one 4 (Scheme 1), may be generically substituted as set forth in formula I, II, III. Construction of the skeleton, 5,9-dihydro-4[H]cyclopenta[lmn]phenathridin-5one 4, was reported in the chemistry literature (Migachev, G. I.; Terent'ev., A. M., Chem. Heterocycl. Compd. (Engl. Transl.); EN; 17; 3; 1981; 295–298) and accessible by a process known to one skilled in the art. The process sequence set forth herein does not present an exact sequence of reactions by which the compound must be made, that is, the sequence of reactions can be rearranged in several ways to reach the target molecule. Scheme 1 below illustrates schematically the preparation of skeleton of 5,9-dihydro-4[H]cyclopenta[lmn]phenathridin-5one.

Starting material, 4-(9-oxo-fluoren)-carboxylic acid 1, is available from commercial sources. Nitration of 4-(9-oxo-fluoren)-carboxylic acid 1 provides a regioisomeric mixture of 4-(5-nitro-9-oxo-fluoren)-carboxylic acid 2 and 4-(2-nitro-9-oxo-fluoren)-carboxylic acid 3. For example, a suspension of 4-(9-oxo-fluoren)-carboxylic acid 1 (10 g) in 70% nitric acid (130 mL) was heated to 80° C. over a period of 2 hours and cooled to room temperature. The reaction mixture was poured into ice-water mixture (200 mL). The resulting precipitate, a regioisomeric mixture of 2 and 3 (1:8 by ¹H-NMR) was collected by filtration. From the filtrate, a second crop of crystals was precipitated out over 2 days. The yellow solid was collected by filtration, washed with water and ether to give desired product 4-(5-nitro-9-oxo-fluoren)-carboxylic acid 2 (1.1 g) without further purification. Other nitration methods can also be used include fuming nitric acid or sodium nitrate, acidic solvents an be sulfuric acid, acetic acid or trifluoroacetic acid. Temperature of the reaction is general between 0° C. and 200° C.

The desired isomer 4-(5-nitro-9-oxo-fluoren)-carboxylic acid 2 was used as starting material to prepared 5,9-dihydro-4[H]cyclopenta[lmn]phenathridin-one 4. Using excess of hydrazine, one can prepare the tetracyclic compound 4 in one step in which three reactions are involved, reduction of the nitro to amino group: formation of lactam ring between the carboxylic acid and amino group; and deoxygenating of the ketone group. For example, to a solution 4-(5-nitro-9-oxo-fluoren)-carboxylic acid 2 (2.6 g, 10 mmol) in ethylene glycol (7 mL) was added hydrazine hydrate (14 g) and sodium hydroxide (11 g) at room temperature. The solution was heated to 100° C. for 1.5 hours and at reflux overnight. Upon cooling, the mixture was poured into ice-cold water (300 g). The resulting white precipitate was collected by filtration and washed with water (40 mL) and acetone (5 mL) to give the desired product 5,9-dihydro-4[H]cyclopenta[lmn]phenathridin-5-one 4 as a white solid (1.8 g). The reaction from compound 2 to 4 also can be accomplished step-wise by reducing a known intermediate 9-oxo-5,9-dihydro-4[H]cyclopenta[lmn]phenathridin-5-one (Migachev, G. I., Terent'ev, A. M.; Grekhova N. G.; Dyumaev, K. M., J. Org. Chem.USSR (Engl.Transl.); EN; 20; 8; 1934; 1565–1571).

Scheme 2 below illustrates schematically the preparation of compounds Example 2 through Example 6. Compound 4, 5,9-dihydro-4[H]cyclopenta[lmn]phenathridin-5one, is used as a precursor to prepare 1-substituted sulfonamide of 5,9-dihydro-4[H]cyclopenta[lmn]phenathridin-5-ones. Monosulfonation of compound 4 can be prepared using chlorosulfonic acid neat to give the sulfonyl chloride compound 5 in high yield. For example, to a liquid of chlorosulfonic acid (10 mL) was added 5,9-dihydro-4[H]cyclopenta[lmn]phenathridin-5-one 4 (1.26 g) at 0° C. The mixture was stirred for ten hours at 0° C. and poured onto ice (100 g). The precipitate was collected by filtration and washed with water (5 mL) and ether (1mL) to afford the product 5,9-dihydro-5-oxo-4[H]cyclopenta[lmn]phenathridine-1-sulfonic chloride 5 as a solid in 80% of yield without further purification. ¹H-NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6) □ 11.48 (br, 1H), 7.93 (d, J=8.0 Hz, 1H), 7.91 (d, J=8.0 Hz, 1H), 7.60 (d, J=3.0 Hz, 1H), 7.59 (dd, J=8.0, 8.0 Hz, 1H), 7.09 (d, J=8.0 Hz, 1H), 4.32 (S, 2H). Amindation of compound 5 using primary or secondary amines affords target compounds defined in formula I and III, such as Example 1–30. Formation of the final sulfonamides using sulfonylchloride with amino derivatives can be carried out by a variety of conditions known to those skilled in the art including reaction with primary or secondary amines using pyridine or triethyl amine as base. Typical solvents include chlorinated solvents, various ethers, and dipolar aprotic solvents like DMF. The preparation in this patent is described in General Procedure A.

Scheme 3 below illustrates schematically the preparation of compounds Example 8 through Example 10. Many nitration methods are known in the chemistry literature and accessible by processes known to one skilled in the art. General description of nitration methods from compound 1 to 2 (Scheme 1) can also be applied here. For example, nitration of 5,9-dihydro-4[H]cyclopenta[lmn]phenathrindin-5-one 4 (1.0 g) using nitric acid (70% 2 mL) and acetic acid (16 ml) at 90° C. for 20 hours provided 5,9-dihydro-1-nitro-4[H]cyclopenta[lmn]phenathridin-5-one 6 in high yield (86%). mp>300 (dec.) ¹H-NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6) □ 12.21(s, 1H); 8.35(d, 1H, 8 Hz); 8.04(d, 1H, 8 Hz) 8.01(d, 1H, 8 Hz); 7.73(t, 1H, 8 Hz); 7.34(d, 1H, 8 Hz). The nitro group of compound 6 can be reduced by hydrogenation using palladium as catalyst to afford 5,9-dihydro-1-amino-4[H]cyclopenta[lmn]phenathridin-5-one 7. mp 265–270° C. ¹H-NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6) □ 11.05(s, 1H); 7.86(d, 2H, J=8 Hz); 7.53(t, 1H, J=8 Hz); 6.91(d, 1H, J=8 Hz); 6.76(d, 1H, J=8 Hz); 5.14(s, 2H); 4.03(s, 2H). Common solvents used in hydrogenation process include ethanol, ethyl acetate, tetrahydrofuran, and dimethylformamide. Compound 2-chloro-N-(5-oxo-5,9-dihydro-4H-cyclopenta[lmn]phenanthridin-1-yl)-acetamide 8 can be prepared using a conventional amide formation method by coupling the amide functionality of compound 7 with chloroacetyl chloride. For example, to a suspension of the 5,9-dihydro-1-amino-4[H]cyclopenta[lmn]phenathridin-5-one (6.7 mmol) in 1,4-dioxane (50 mL) was added sodium hydroxide (0.4 g) and chloroacetyl chloride (10 mmol) under nitrogen at 25° C. The reaction mixture was allowed to warm to stir continuously or overnight and poured into water (500 mL). The precipitate was collected, washed with water and acetonitrile to afford solid product 8 in 85% yield without further purification. ¹H-NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6) □ 11.54(s, 1H); 10.44(s, 1H); 8.01(d, 2H); 7.70(t, 1H, J=7.6 hz); 7.64(d, 1H, J=8.4 Hz); 7.24(d, 1H, J=8.4 Hz); 4.43(s, 2H); 4.32(s, 2H). mp>300° C. Target amide compounds of Example 31–58 can be prepared by displacement of the chloro group of the amide 8 with a secondary amine as described in General Procedure B bellow. This type of nucleophilic displacement of the alpha-chloro to a carbonyl with an amino compound are well documented in literature and are known to those skilled in the art.

General Procedure A (Example 1–30):

To a suspension of the 5,9-dihydro-5-oxo-4[H]cyclopenta[lmn]phenathridine-1-sulfonic chloride 5 (5.67 mmol) in methylene chloride (100 mL) was added triethyl amine (1.6 mL) and the amino compound (5 mmol) under nitrogen at 0° C. The reaction mixture was allowed to warm to room temperature, stirred continuously for 6 h and poured into water (100 mL). The precipitate was collected by filtration, washed with water, ethyl acetate and acetonitrile to give crude product. The crude product was purified via crystallization or column chromatography on silica gel to afford solid product in 30–70% of yield.

General Procedure B (Example 31–53):

To a solution of 2-chloro-N-(5-oxo-5,9-dihydro-4H-cyclopenta[lmn]phenanthridin-1-yl)-acetamide 8 (5.67 mmol) in DMF (100 mL) was added an amine compound (8 mmol) under nitrogen at 0° C. The reaction mixture was allowed to warm to room temperature, stirred for 12 h and about 80% of the solvent is removed in vacuo. The precipitate formed by addition of acetonitrile (30 mL) was collected by filtration, and washed with ether (3 mL) to give the hydrogen chloride salt in 55–70% of yield without further purification.

EXAMPLE 1 1-(4-Pyridin-2-yl-piperazine-1-sulfonyl)-4H,9H-cyclopenta[lmn]phenanthridin-5-one

Prepared from the reaction of sulfonyl chloride 5 (0.1 g) and 1-pyridin-2-yl-piperazine according to General Procedure A. The gray precipitation was collected by filtration, washed with water and acetone to give a solid (0.050 g, 38% yield). mp 263–270° C. ¹H-NMR (300 MHz, DMSO-d6) □ 11.84(s, 1H); 8.04–7.97 (m, 3H); 7.78(d, 1H, J=3.33 Hz); 7.69(t, 1H, J=7.6 Hz); 7.48(t, 1H, J=7.6 Hz); 7.34(d, 1H, J=8.4 Hz); 6.70(d, 1H, J=8.6 Hz); 6.60(t, 1H, 6.0 Hz); 4.55(s, 2H); 3.60(s, 4H); 3.07(s, 4H);. Anal. (C₂₃H₂₀N₄O₃S). C H N S.

EXAMPLE 2 1-(5-Oxo-5,9-dihydro-4H-cyclopenta[lmn]phenanthridine-1-sulfonyl)-piperidine-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester

Prepared from the reaction of sulfonyl chloride 5 (0.12 g) and piperidine-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester according to General Procedure A. The precipitation was collected by filtration, washed with water, ethyl acetate and acetone to give a solid (0.07 g). mp 215–218° C. ¹H-NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6) □ 11.95(s, 1H); 8.01–7.98(m=2H); 7.76(d, 1H, J=8.4 Hz), 7.71(t, 1H, J=7.5 Hz); 7.35(d, 1H, J=8.4 Hz); 4.45(s, 2H); 4.06(m, 3H),; 3.57(m, 2H); 2.75(t, 2H); 1.72(s, 2H); 1.40–1.14(m, 5H,) Anal. (C₂₂H₂₂N₂O₅S 0.1 H₂O). C H N S.

EXAMPLE 31 2-(4-Methyl-piperazin-1-yl)-N-(5-oxo-5,9-dihydro-4H-cyclopenta[lmn]phenanthridin-1-yl)-acetamide

Prepared from the reaction of 2-chloro-N-(5oxo-5,9-dihydro-4H-cyclopenta[lmn]phenanthridin-1-yl)-acetamide 8 (0.65 g) and 1-methyl-piperazine (0.5 mL) according to General Procedure B. The precipitation was collected by filtration, washed with water, acetonitrile, to give a white solid (0.70 g, 91.8% yield). mp 180–185° C. ¹H-NMR (300 MHz, DMSO-d6) □ 11.47(s, 1H); 9.96(s, 1H); 7.92(m, 2H); 7.63(t, 1H, J=7.8 Hz); 7.60(d, 1H, J=8.3 Hz); 7.15(d, 1H, J=8.2 Hz); 4.29(s, 2H); 3.21(s, 4H); 2.90(s, 4H); 2.75(s, 3H). Anal. (C₂₁H₂₂N₄O₂ 1 HCl and 1.5 H₂O) C H N.

EXAMPLE 32 2-(4-Acetyl-piperazin-1-yl)-N-(5-oxo-5,9-dihydro-4H-cyclopenta[lmn]phenanthridin-1-yl)-acetamide

Prepared from the reaction of 2-chloro-N-(5-oxo-5,9-dihydro-4H-cyclopenta[lmn]phenanthridin-1-yl)-acetamide 8 and 1-piperazin-1-yl-ethanone (0.1 mL) according to General Procedure B. White solid in 58% yield, mp155–157° C. ¹H-NMR (300 MHz, DMSO-d6) □ 11.44(s, 1H); 9.85(s, 1H); 7.93(d, 2H); 7.61(m, 2H); 7.13(d, 1H, J=8.2 Hz); 4.25(s, 2H); 3.56(s, 4H); 3.24(s, 2H); 2.57(s, 2H); 2.54(s, 2H); 2.02(s, 3H). Anal (C₂₂H₂₂N₂O₃ 1.3 H₂O) C H N.

EXAMPLES

Example Structure Elemental Analysis MP ° C. MS (M − 1) IC50 uM 1

C23 H20 N4 O3 S 268–270 0.38 2

C22 H22 N2 O5 S.(0.1H2 O) 215–218 0.137 3

C23 H25 N3 O4 S 438.31 0.247 4

C23 H20 N2 O3 S 403.33 1.13 5

C20 H21 N3 O3 S 382.41 0.089 6

C21 H23 N3 O4 S 414.48 0.063 7

C25 H20 F3 N3 O3 S 0.269 8

C24 H20 F N3 O3 S 448.27 0.335 9

C24 H19 F2 N3 O3 S 466.04 0.211 10

C19 H20 N4 O3 S.(1.3H2 O) 192 0.129 11

C22 H24 N4 O2.1 HCl.(0.7 H2O 232–240 0.049 12

C22 H26 N4 O3 S.(0.2CH2Cl2).(0.25CH4O) 224 0.064 13

C20 H23 N3 O3 S 386.53 0.048 14

C21 H25 N3 O3 S 400.55 0.091 15

C21 H17 N3 O3 S 392.48 0.114 16

C18 H17 N3 O4 S 370.35 0.092 17

C19 H21 N3 O3 S 372.51 0.154 18

C20 H23 N3 O3 S 386.54 0.11 19

C22 H26 N4 O3 S.2.5 HCl.(2 H2O) 0.052 20

C20 H23 N3 O3 S (0.25H2O).(0.32C4H8O2) 0.077 21

C23 H28 N4 O3 S.(0.77H2 O) 0.064 22

C24 H28 N4 O3 S.2ClH 0.115 23

C24 H28 N4 O3 S 0.166 24

C23 H20 N4 O3 S 433 0.929 25

C25 H30 N4 O3 S 465 0.165 26

C25 H30 N4 O3 S 467 0.314 27

C24 H28 N4 O4 S 467 0.634 28

C24 H22 N4 O3 S 445 0.406 29

C23 H28 N4 O3 S.2HCl.(3 H2O) 0.109 30

C24 H28 N4 O3 S.(0.4H2 O) 0.264 31

C21 H22 N4 O2.1 HCl.(1.5H2 O) 180–185 0.045 32

C22 H22 N4 O3.(1.3H2 O) 155–157 0.036 33

C27 H26 N4 O2.2Cl H.(1.9 H2O) 0.218 34

C20 H19 N3 O3.1.05HCl.(1.3 H2O) 0.058 35

C25 H28 N4 O3 433.54 0.193 36

C25 H23 N3 O2 398.5 0.188 37

C23 H26 N4 O3 407.53 0.178 38

C23 H26 N4 O2 391.54 0.175 39

C27 H23 F3 N4 O2 493.54 0.219 40

C26 H23 F N4 O2 443.59 0.23 41

C26 H22 F2 N4 O2 461.61 0.336 42

C25 H23 N5 O2 426.56 0.158 43

C22 H24 N4 O2.1HCl.(0.7 H2O) 232–240 0.049 44

C25 H28 N4 O2.2 HCl.(2.1 H2O).(0.3C4 H8 O) 0.094 45

C22 H26 N4 O2 377.57 0.133 46

C23 H28 N4 O2 393.22 0.118 47

C22 H24 N4 O3 393.62 0.457 48

C22 H26 N4 O2 379.4 0.144 49

C25 H31 N5 O2.1 HCl.(1.5 H2 O) 0.072 50

C24 H29 N5 O2.2Cl H 420 0.115 51

C27 H33 N5 O2 460.39 0.178 52

C27 H33 N5 O2 460.37 0.096 53

C26 H31 N5 O2 446.51 0.119 54

C26 H25 N5 O2 440.45 0.267 55

C26 H31 N5 O3 462.51 0.558 56

C25 H23 N5 O2.1.3 HCl.(2.1H2 O) 0.204 57

C21 H24 N4 O2.2 HCl.(2H2O) 0.055 58

C26 H31 N5 O2.0.6 HCl 0.39

Other manners, variations or sequences of preparing the compounds of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.

The compounds of the present invention may be useful in the free base form in the form of base salts where possible, and in the form of addition salts, as well as in the free acid form. All these forms are within the scope of this invention. In practice, use of the salt form amounts to use of the base form. Pharmaceutically acceptable salts within the scope of this invention are those derived from mineral acids such as hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid; and organic acids such as ethanesulfonic acid, benzenesulfonic acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, and the like, giving the hydrochloride, sulfonate, ethanesulfonate, benzenesulfonate, p-toluenesulfonate, and the like respectively, or those derived from bases such as suitable organic and inorganic bases. Examples of pharmaceutically acceptable base addition salts with compounds of the present invention include organic bases which are nontoxic and strong enough to form such salts. These organic bases and the use thereof are readily understood by those skilled in the art. Merely for the purpose of illustration, such organic bases may include mono-, di-, and trialkylamines, such as methylamine, diethylamine and triethylamine; mono-, di-, or trihydroxyalklamines such as mono-, di-, and triethanolamine; amino acids such as arginine, and lysine: guanidine: N-methylglucosamine, N-methylglucamine; L-glutamine; methylpiperazine; morpholine; ethylenedianane; N-benzylphenethylamine; tris(hydroxymethyl)antinoethane; and the like.

The acid addition salts of the basic compounds may he prepared by dissolving the free base of the compounds of the present invention in aqueous or aqueous alcohol solution or other suitable solvents containing the appropriate acid or base and isolating the salt by evaporating the solution, or by reacting the free base of a compound of the present invention with an acid as well as reacting a compound of the present invention having an acid group thereon with a base such that the reactions are in an organic solvent, in which case the salt separates directly or can be obtained by concentration of the solution.

The compounds of this invention contain one or more asymmetric carbon atoms. Therefore, the invention includes the individual stereoisomers and mixtures thereof as well as the racemic compounds. The individual isomers may be prepared or isolated by methods known in the art.

The compounds of the invention exhibit pharmacological activity and are, therefore, useful as pharmaceuticals. In particular the compounds exhibit central nervous and cardiac vesicular system activity.

Other variations and modifications of this invention using the synthetic pathways described above will be obvious to chose of ordinary skill in the art.

Methods of Using the Compounds of the Invention

The compounds of the present invention can treat or prevent tissue damage resulting from cell damage or death due to necrosis or apoptosis; can ameliorate neural or cardiovascular tissue damage, including that following focal ischemia, myocardial infarction, and reperfusion injury; can treat various diseases and conditions caused or exacerbated by PARP activity, can extend or increase the lifespan or proliferative capacity of cells; can alter the gene expression of senescent cells; and can radiosensitize cells. Generally, inhibition of PARP activity spares the cells from energy loss, preventing, in the case of neural cells, irreversible depolarization of the neurons, and thus, provides neuroprotection. While not being bound to any one particular theory, it is thought that PARP activation may play a common role in still other excitotoxic mechanisms, perhaps as yet undiscovered, in addition to the production of free radicals and NO.

For the foregoing reasons, the present invention further relates to a method of administering a therapeutically effective amount of the above-identified compounds in an amount sufficient to inhibit PARP activity, to treat or prevent tissue damage resulting from cell damage or death due to necrosis or apoptosis, to effect a neuronal activity not mediated by NMDA toxicity, to effect a neuronal activity mediated by NMDA toxicity, to treat neural tissue damage resulting from ischemia and reperfusion injury, neurological disorders and neurodegenerative diseases: to prevent or treat vascular stroke, to treat or prevent cardiovascular disorders; to treat other conditions and/or disorders such as age-related muscular degeneration. AIDS and other immune senescence diseases, inflammation, gout, arthritis, atherosclerosis, cachexia, cancer, degenerative diseases of skeletal muscle involving replicative senescence, diabetes, head trauma, immune senescence, inflammation, gout, inflammatory bowel disorders (such as colitis and Crohn's disease), muscular dystrophy, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, chronic and/or acute pain (such as neuropathic pain), renal failure, retinal ischemia, septic shock (such as endotoxic shock), and skin aging; to extend the lifespan and proliferative capacity of sells: to alter gene expression of senescent cells: or to radiosensitize hypoxic tumor cells. The present invention also relates to treating diseases and conditions in an animal which comprises administering to said animal a therapeutically effective amount of the above-identified compounds.

In particular, the present invention relates to a method of treating, preventing or inhibiting a neurological disorder in an animal, which comprises administering to said animal a therapeutically effective amount of the above-identified compounds. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the neurological disorder is selected from the group consisting of peripheral neuropathy caused by physical injury or disease state, traumatic brain injury, physical damage to the spinal cord, stroke associated with brain damage, focal ischemia, global ischemia, reperfusion injury, demyelinating disease and neurological disorder relating to neurodegeneration. Another preferred embodiment is when the reperfusion injury is a vascular stroke. Yet another preferred embodiment is when the peripheral neuropathy is caused by Guillain-Barre syndrome. Still another preferred embodiment is when the demyelinating disease and neurological disorder relates to neurodegeneration. Another preferred embodiment is when the reperfusion injury is a vascular stroke. Still another preferred embodiment is when the demyelinating disease is multiple sclerosis. Another preferred embodiment is when the neurological disorder relating to neurodegeneration is selected from the group consisting of Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Yet another preferred embodiment is a method of treating, preventing or inhibiting a cardiovascular disease in an animal, such an angina pectoris, mycocardial infarction, cardiovascular ischemia, and cardiovascular tissue damage related to PARP activation, by administering to said animal an effective amount of the compounds of the present invention.

The present invention also contemplates the use of compound I, II, or III for inhibiting PARP activity, for treating, preventing or inhibiting tissue damage resulting from cell damage or death due to necrosis or apoptosis, for treating, preventing or inhibiting a neurological disorder in an animal.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the neurological disorder is selected from the group consisting of peripheral neuropathy caused by physical injury or disease state, traumatic brain injury, physical damage to the spinal cord, stroke associated with brain damage, focal ischemia, global ischemia, reperfusion injury, demyelinating disease and neurological disorder relating to neurodegeneration.

Another preferred embodiment is when the reperfusion injury is a vascular stroke. Yet another preferred embodiment is when the peripheral neuropathy is caused by Guillain-Barre syndrome. Still another preferred embodiment is when the demyelinating disease is multiple sclerosis. Another preferred embodiment is when the neurological disorder relating to neurodegeneration is selected from the group consisting of Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The present invention also contemplates the use of compound I, II, or III in the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of any of the diseases and disorders in an animal described herein.

In a particular embodiment, the disease or disorder is a neurological disorder.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the neurological disorder is selected from the group consisting of peripheral neuropathy caused by physical injury or disease state, traumatic brain injury, physical damage to the spinal cord, stroke associated with brain damage, focal ischemia, global ischemia, reperfusion injury, demyelinating disease and neurological disorder relating to neurodegeneration. Another preferred embodiment is when the reperfusion injury is a vascular stroke. Yet another preferred embodiment is when the peripheral neuropathy is caused by Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Still another preferred embodiment is when the demyelinating disease is multiple sclerosis. Another preferred embodiment is when the neurological disorder relating to neurodegeneration is selected from the group consisting of Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The term “preventing neurodegeneration” includes the ability to prevent neurodegeneration in patients newly diagnosed as having a neurodegenerative disease, or at risk of developing a new degenerative disease and for preventing further neurodegeneration in patients who are already suffering from or have symptoms of a neurodegenerative disease.

The term “treatment” as used herein covers any treatment of a disease and/or condition in an animal, particularly a human, and includes:

(i) preventing a disease and/or condition from occurring in a subject which may be predisposed to the disease and/or condition but has not yet been diagnosed as having it;

(ii) inhibiting the disease and/or condition, i.e. arresting its development; or

(iii) relieving the disease and/or condition, i.e., causing regression of the disease and/or condition.

As used herein, the term “neural tissue damage resulting from ischemia and reperfusion injury” includes neurotoxicity, such as seen in vascular stroke and global and focal ischemia. As used herein, the term “neurodegenerative diseases,” includes Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease.

The term “ischemia” relates to localized tissue anemia due to obstruction of the inflow of arterial blood. Global ischemia occurs under conditions in which blood flow to the entire brain ceases for a period of time, such as may result from cardiac arrest. Focal ischemia occurs under conditions in which a portion of the brain is deprived of its normal blood supply, such as may result from thromboembolytic occlusion of a cerebral vessel, traumatic head injury, edema, and brain tumors.

The term “cardiovascular disease” relates to myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, vascular or myocardial ischemia, and related conditions as would be known by those of skill in the art which involve dysfunction of or tissue damage to the heart or vasculature, and especially, but not limited to, tissue damage related to PARP activation.

The term “radiosensitizer”, as used herein, is defined as a molecule, preferably a low molecular weight molecule, administered to animals in therapeutically effective amounts to increase the sensitivity of the cells to be radiosensitized to electromagnetic radiation and/or to promote the treatment of diseases which are treatable with electromagnetic radiation. Diseases which are treatable with electromagnetic radiation include neoplastic diseases, benign and malignant tumors, and cancerous cells. Electromagnetic radiation treatment of other diseases not listed herein are also contemplated by the present invention. The terms “electromagnetic radiation” and “radiation” as used herein includes, but is not limited to, radiation having the wavelength of 10⁻²⁰ to 10⁰ meters. Preferred embodiments of the present invention employ the electromagnetic radiation of: gamma-radiation (10⁻²⁰ to 10⁻¹³ m) x-ray radiation (10⁻¹¹ to 10⁻⁹ m), ultraviolet light (10 nm to 400 nm), visible light (400 nm to 700 nm), infrared radiation (700 nm to 1.0 mm), or microwave radiation (1 mm to 30 cm).

Compositions and Methods for Effecting Neuronal Activity

Preferably, the compounds of the invention inhibit PARP activity and, thus, are believed to be useful for treating neural tissue damage, particularly damage resulting from cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury or neurodegenerative diseases in animals. The term “nervous tissue” refers to the various components that make up the nervous system including, without limitation, neurons, neural support cells, glia, Schwann cells, vasculature contained within and supplying these structures, the central nervous system, the brain, the brain stem, the spinal cord, the junction of the central nervous system with the peripheral nervous system, the peripheral nervous system, and allied structures.

Further, according to the invention, an effective therapeutic amount of the compounds and compositions described above are administered to animals to effect a neuronal activity, particularly one that is not mediated by NMDA neurotoxicity. Such neuronal activity may consist of stimulation of damaged neurons, promotion of neuronal regeneration, prevention of neurodegeneration and treatment of a neurological disorder. Accordingly, the present invention further relates to a method of effecting a neuronal activity in an animal, comprising administering an effective amount of the compound of formula I, II or III to said animal.

Examples of neurological disorders that are treatable by the method of using the present invention include, without limitation, trigerminal neuralgia; glossopharyngeal neuralgia; Bell's Palsy; myasthenia gravis; muscular dystrophy; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; progressive muscular atrophy: progressive bulbar inherited muscular atrophy; herniated, ruptured or prolapsed invertebrate disk syndromes; cervical spondylosis; plexus disorders; thoracic outlet destruction syndromes; peripheral neuropathies such as those caused by lead, dapsone, ticks, porphyria, or Guillain-Barre syndrome; Alzheimer's disease; Huntington's Disease and Parkinson's disease.

The method of the present invention is particularly useful for treating a neurological disorder selected from the group consisting of: peripheral neuropathy caused by physical injury or disease state; head trauma, such as traumatic brain injury; physical damage to the spinal cord: stroke associated with brain damage, such as vascular stroke associated with hypoxia and brain damage, focal cerebral ischemia global cerebral ischemia, and cerebral reperfusion injury; demyelinating diseases, such as multiple sclerosis; and neurological disorders related to neurodegeneration, such as Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Huntington's Disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Treating Other PARP-Related Disorders

The compounds, compositions and methods of the present invention are particularly useful for treating or preventing tissue damage resulting from cell death or damage due to necrosis or apoptosis.

The compounds, compositions and methods of the invention can also be used to treat a cardiovascular disorder in animal, by administering an effective amount of the compound of formula I, II or III to the animal. As used herein, the term “cardiovascular disorders” refers to those disorders that can either cause ischemia or are caused by reperfusion of the heart. Examples include, but are not limited to, coronary artery disease, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, cardiovascular tissue damage caused by cardiac arrest, cardiovascular tissue damage caused by cardiac bypass, cardiogenic shock, and related conditions that would be known by those of ordinary skill in the art or which involve dysfunction of or tissue damage to the heart or vasculature, especially, but not limited to, tissue damage related to PARP activation.

For example, the methods of the invention are believed to be useful for treating cardiac tissue damage, particularly damage resulting from cardiac ischemia or caused by reperfusion injury in animals. The methods of the invention are particularly useful for treating cardiovascular disorders selected from the group consisting of: coronary artery disease, such as atherosclerosis; angina pectoris; myocardial infarction; myocardial ischemia and cardiac arrest; cardiac bypass; and cardiogenic shock. The methods of the invention are particularly helpful in treating the acute forms of the above cardiovascular disorders.

Further, the methods of the invention can be used to treat tissue damage resulting from cell damage or death due to necrosis or apoptosis, neural tissue damage resulting from ischemia and reperfusion injury, neurological disorders and neurodegenerative diseases; to prevent or treat vascular stroke; to treat or prevent cardiovascular disorders; to treat other conditions and/or disorders such as age-related muscular degeneration, AIDS and other immune senescence diseases, inflammation, gout, arthritis, atherosclerosis, cachexia, cancer, degenerative diseases of skeletal muscle involving replicative senescence, diabetes, head trauma, immune senescence, inflammatory bowel disorders (such as colitis and Crohn's disease), muscular dystrophy, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, chronic and/or acute pain (such as neuropathic pain), renal failure, retinal ischemia, septic shock (such as endotoxic shock), and skin aging; to extend the lifespan and proliferative capacity of cells; to alter gene expression of senescent cells; or to radiosensitize tumor cells

Further still, the methods of the invention can be used to treat cancer and to radiosensitize tumor cells. The term “cancer” is interpreted broadly. The compounds of the present invention can be “anti-cancer agents”, which term also encompasses “anti-tumor cell growth agents” and “anti-neoplastic agents” For example, the methods of the invention are useful for treating cancers and radiosensitizing minor cells in cancers such as ACTH-producing tumors, acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, cancer of the adrenal cortex, bladder cancer, brain cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, chronic lymphocyctic leukemia, chronic myelocytic leukemia, colorectal cancer, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, endometrial cancer, esophageal cancer, Ewing's sarcoma, gallbladder cancer, hairy cell leukemia, head & neck cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, kidney cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer (small and/or non-small cell), malignant peritoneal effusion, malignant pleural effusion, melanoma, mesothelioma, multiple myeloma, neuroblastoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, osteosarcoma, ovarian cancer, ovary (germ cell) cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, penile cancer, retinoblastoma, skin cancer, soft-tissue sarcoma, squamous cell carcinomas, stomach cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid cancer, trophoblastic neoplasms, uterine cancer, vaginal cancer, cancer of the vulva and Wilm's tumor.

The term “radiosensitizer”, as used herein, is defined as a molecule, preferably a low molecular weight molecule, administered to animals in therapeutically effective amounts to increase the sensitivity of the cells to be radiosensitized to electromagnetic radiation and/or to promote the treatment of diseases which are treatable with electromagnetic radiation. Diseases which are treatable with electromagnetic radiation include neoplastic diseases, benign and malignant tumors, and cancerous cells. Electromagnetic radiation treatment of other diseases not listed herein are also contemplated by the present invention. The terms “electromagnetic radiation” and “radiation” as used herein includes, but is not limited to, radiation having the wavelength of 10⁻²⁰ to 10⁰ meters. Preferred embodiments of the present invention employ the electromagnetic radiation of gamma-radiation (10⁻²⁰ to 10⁻¹³ m) x-ray radiation (10⁻¹¹ to 10⁹ m), ultraviolet light (10 nm to 400 nm), visible light (400 nm to 700 nm), infrared radiation (700 nm to 1.0 mm), and microwave radiation (1 mm to 30 cm).

Radiosensitizers are known to increase the sensitivity of cancerous cells to the toxic effects of electromagnetic radiation. Several mechanisms for the mode of action of radiosensitizers have been suggested in the literature including: hypoxic cell radiosensitizers (e.g., 2-nitroimidazole compounds, and benzotriazine dioxide compounds) promote the reoxygenation of hypoxic tissue and/or catalyze the generation of damaging oxygen radicals, non-hypoxic cell radiosensitizers (e.g., halogenated pyrimidines) can be analogs of DNA bases and preferentially incorporate into the DNA of cancer cells and thereby promote the radiation-induced breaking of DNA molecules and/or prevent the normal DNA repair mechanisms; and various other potential mechanisms of action have been hypothesized for radiosensitizers in the treatment of disease.

Many cancer treatment protocols currently employ radiosensitizers activated by the electromagnetic radiation of x-rays. Examples of x-ray activated radiosensitizers include, but are not limited to, the following: metronidazole, misonidazole, desmethylinsonidazole, pimonidazole, etanidazole, nimorazole, mitomycin C, RSU 1069, SR 4233, EO9, RB 6145, nicotinamide, 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR), 5-iododeoxyuridine (IUdR), bromodeoxycytidine, fluorodeoxyuridine (FudR), hydroxyurea, cisplatin, and therapeutically effective analogs and derivatives of the same.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancers employs visible light as the radiation activator of the sensitizing agent. Examples of photodynamic radiosensitizers include the following, but are not limited to: hematoporphyrin derivatives, Photofrin, benzoporphyrin derivatives, NPe6, tin etioporphyrin SnET2, pheoborbide-a, bacteriochlorophyll-a, naphthalocyanines, phthalocyanines, zinc phthalocyanine, and therapeutical effective analogs and derivatives of the same.

Radiosensitizers may be administered in conjunction with a therapeutically effective amount of one or more other compounds, including but not limited to: compounds which promote the incorporation of radiosensitizers to the target cells: compounds which control the flow of therapeutics, nutrients, and/or oxygen to the target cells: chemotherapeutic agents which act on the tumor with or without additional radiation; or other therapeutically effective compounds for treating cancer or other disease. Examples of additional therapeutic agents that may be used in conjunction with radiosensitizers include, but are not limited to: 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, 5′-amino-5′deoxythymidine, oxygen, carbogen, red cell transfusions, perfluorocarbons (e.g., Fluosol-DA), 2,3-DPG, BW12C, calcium channel blockers, pentoxyfylline, antiangiogenesis compounds, hydralazine, and LBSO. Examples of chemotherapeutic agents that may be used in conjunction with radiosensitizers include, but are not limited to: adriamycin, camptothecin, carboplatin, cisplatin, dauncrubicin, decetaxel, doxorubicin, interferon (alpha, beta, gamma), interleukin 2, irinotecan, paclitaxel, topotecan, and therapeutically effective analogs and derivatives of the same.

Pharmaceutical Compositions of the Invention

The present invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising (i) a therapeutically effective amount of the compound of formula I, II, or III and (ii) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier

The above discussion relating to the preferred embodiments utility and administration of the compounds of the present invention also applies to the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention.

The term “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” as used herein refers to any carrier, diluent, excipient, suspending agent, lubricating agent, adjuvant, vehicle, delivery system, emulsifier, disintegrant, absorbent, preservative, surfactant, colorant, flavorant, or sweetener.

For these purposes, the composition of the invention may be administered orally, parenterally, by inhalation spray, adsorption, absorption, topically, rectally, nasally, bucally, vaginally, intraventricularly, via an implanted reservoir in dosage formulations containing conventional non-toxic pharmaceutically-acceptable carriers, or by any other convenient dosage form. The term parenteral as used herein includes subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, intrathecal, intraventricular, intrasternal, and intracranial injection or infusion techniques.

When administered parenterally, the composition will normally be in a unit dosage, sterile injectable form (solution, suspension or emulsion) which is preferably isotonic with the blood of the recipient with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Examples of such sterile injectable are sterile injectable aqueous or oleaginous suspensions. These suspensions may be formulated according to techniques known in the art using suitable dispersing or wetting agents and suspending agents. The sterile injectable forms may also be sterile injectable solutions or suspensions in non-toxic parenterally-acceptable diluents or solvents, for example, as solutions in 1,3-butanediol. Among the acceptable vehicles and solvents that may be employed are water, saline, Ringer's solution, dextrose solution, isotonic sodium chloride solution, and Hanks' solution. In addition, sterile, fixed oils are conventionally employed as solvents or suspending mediums. For this purpose, any bland fixed oil may be employed including synthetic mono- or di-glycerides, corn, cottonseed, peanut and sesame oil. Fatty acids such as ethyl oleate, isopropyl myristate, and oleic acid and its glyceride derivatives, including olive oil and castor oil, especially in their polyoxyethylated versions, are useful in the preparation of injectables. These oil solutions or suspensions may also contain long-chain alcohol diluents or dispersants.

Sterile saline is a preferred carrier, and the compounds are often sufficiently water soluble to be made up as a solution for all foreseeable needs. The carrier may contain minor amounts of additives, such as substances that enhance solubility, isotonicity, and chemical stability, e.g., anti-oxidants, buffers and preservatives.

Formulations suitable for nasal or buccal administration (such as self-propelling powder dispensing formulations) may comprise about 0.1% to about 5% w/w, for example 1% w/w of active ingredient. The formulations for human medical use of the present invention comprise an active ingredient in association with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier therefore and optionally other therapeutic ingredient(s).

When administered orally, the composition will usually be formulated into unit dosage forms such as tablets, cachets, powder, granules, beads, chewable, lozenges, capsules, liquids, aqueous suspensions or solutions, or similar dosage forms, using conventional equipment and techniques known in the art. Such formulations typically include a solid, semisolid, or liquid carrier. Exemplary carriers include lactose, dextrose, sucrose, sorbitol, mannitol, starches, gum acacia, calcium phosphate, mineral oil, cocoa butter, oil of theobroma, alginates, tragacanth, gelatin, syrup, methyl cellulose, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate, methyl hydroxybenzoate, propyl hydroxybenzoate, talc, magnesium stearate, and the like.

The composition of the invention is preferably administered as a capsule or tablet containing a single or divided dose of the inhibitor. Preferably, the composition is administered as a sterile solution, suspension, or emulsion, in a single or divided dose. Tablets may contain carriers such as lactose and corn starch, and/or lubricating agents such as magnesium stearate. Capsules may contain diluents including lactose and dried corn starch.

A tablet may be made by compressing or molding the active ingredient optionally with one or more accessory ingredients. Compressed tablets may be prepared by compressing, in a suitable machine, the active ingredient in a free-flowing form such as a powder or granules, optionally mixed with a binder, lubricant, inert diluent, surface active, or dispersing agent. Molded tablets may be made by molding in a suitable machine, a mixture of the powdered active ingredient and a suitable carrier moistened with an inert liquid diluent.

The compounds of this invention may also be administered rectally in the form of suppositories. These compositions can be prepared by mixing the drug with a suitable non-irritating excipient which is solid at room temperature, but liquid at rectal temperature, and, therefore, will melt in the rectum to release the drug. Such materials include cocoa butter, beeswax, and polyethylene glycols.

Compositions and methods of the invention also may utilize controlled release technology. Thus, for example, the inventive compounds may be incorporated into a hydrophobic polymer matrix for controlled release over a period of days. The composition of the invention may then be molded into a solid implant, or externally applied patch, suitable for providing efficacious concentrations of the PARP inhibitors over a prolonged period of time without the need for frequent reposing. Such controlled release films are well known to the art. Particularly preferred are transdermal delivery systems. Other examples of polymers commonly employed for this purpose that may be used in the present invention include nondegradable ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer an degradable lactic acid-glycolic acid copolymers which may be used externally or internally. Certain hydrogels such as poly(hydroxyethylmethacrylate) or poly(vinylalcohol) also may be useful, but for shorter release cycles than the other polymer release systems, such as those mentioned above.

In a preferred embodiment, the carrier is a solid biodegradable polymer or mixture of biodegradable polymers with appropriate time release characteristics and release kinetics. The composition of the invention may then be molded into a solid implant suitable for providing efficacious concentrations of the compounds of the invention over a prolonged period of time without the need for frequent re-dosing. The composition of the present invention can se incorporated into the biodegradable polymer or polymer mixture in any suitable manner known to one of ordinary skill in the art and may form a homogeneous matrix with the biodegradable polymer, or may be encapsulated in some way within the polymer, or may be molded into a solid implant.

In one embodiment, the biodegradable polymer or polymer mixture is used to form a soft “depot” containing the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention that can be administered as a flowable liquid, for example, by injection, but which remains sufficiently viscous to maintain the pharmaceutical composition within the localized area around the injection site. The degradation time of the depot so formed can be varied from several days to a few years, depending upon the polymer selected and its molecular weight. By using a polymer composition in injectable form, even the need to make an incision may be eliminated. In any event, a flexible or flowable delivery “depot” will adjust to the shape of the space it occupies with the body with a minimum of trauma to surrounding tissues. The pharmaceutical composition of the present invention is used in amounts that are therapeutically effective, and may depend upon the desired release profile, the concentration of the pharmaceutical composition required for the sensitizing effect, and the length of time that the pharmaceutical composition has to be released for treatment.

The PARP inhibitors are used in the composition in amounts that are therapeutically effective. The compositions may be sterilized and/or contain adjuvants, such as preserving, stabilizing, welling, or emulsifying agents, solution promoters, salts for regulating the osmotic pressure, and/or buffers. In addition, they may also contain other therapeutically valuable substances. The compositions are prepared according to conventional mixing, granulating, or coating methods, and contain about 0.1 to 75% by weight, preferably about 1 to 50% by weight, of the active ingredient.

To be effective therapeutically as central nervous system targets, the compounds of the present invention should readily penetrate the blood-brain barrier when peripherally administered. Compounds which cannot penetrate the blood-brain barrier can be effectively administered by an intraventicular route or other appropriate delivery system suitable for administration to the brain.

Doses of the compounds preferably include pharmaceutical dosage units comprising an efficacious quantity of active compound. By an efficacious quantity is meant a quantity sufficient to inhibit PARP and derive its beneficial effects through administration of one or more of the pharmaceutical dosage units. Preferably, the dose is sufficient to prevent or reduce the effects of vascular stroke or other neurodegenerative diseases.

For medical use, the amount required of the active ingredient to achieve a therapeutic effect will vary with the particular compound, the route of administration, the mammal under treatment, and the particular disorder or disease being treated. A suitable systematic dose of a compound of the present invention or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof for a mammal suffering from, or likely to suffer from, any of condition as described hereinbefore is in the range of about 0.1 mg/kg to about 100 mg/kg of the active ingredient compound, the most preferred dosage being about 1 to about 10 mg/kg.

It is understood however, that a specific dose level for any particular patient will depend upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed, the age, body weight, general health, sex, diet, time of administration, rate of excretion, drug combination, and the severity of the particular disease being treated and form of administration.

It is understood that the ordinarily skilled physician or veterinarian will readily determine and prescribe the effective amount of the compound for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of the condition for which treatment is administered. In so proceeding, the physician or veterinarian could employ an intravenous bolus followed by an intravenous infusion and repeated administrations, parenterally or orally, as considered appropriate. While it is possible for an active ingredient to be administered alone, it is preferable to present it as a formulation.

When preparing dosage form incorporating the compositions of the invention, the compounds may also be blended with conventional excipients such as binders, including gelatin, pregelatinized starch, and the like, lubricants, such as hydrogenated vegetable oil, stearic acid, and the like: diluents, such as lactose, mannose, and sucrose; disintegrants, such as carboxymethylcellulose and sodium starch glycolate; suspending agents, such as povidone, polyvinyl alcohol, and the like; absorbants, such as silicon dioxide; preservatives, such as methylparaben, propylparaben, and sodium benzoate; surfactants, such as sodium lauryl sulfate, polysorbate 80, and the like; colorants such as F.D.& C. dyes and lakes; flavorants: and sweeteners.

The present invention relates to the use of compounds I, II, or III in the preparation of a medicament for the treatment of any disease or disorder in an animal described herein.

The present invention provides therefore a compound selected from the following group

as well as a pharmaceutical composition which contains: (i) a therapeutically effective amount of a compound according to the present invention and (ii) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

The present invention further provides a pharmaceutical composition of the invention, wherein the carrier is a sterile, suspension, emulsion, a capsule or tablet or the carrier comprises a biodegradable polymer or a solid implant. The pharmaceutical composition of the present invention may be provided for or in a form for inhibiting PARP activity, treating or preventing diseases or disorders, altering gene expression, or radiosensitizing.

The present invention further provides a method of treating a disease or disorder selected from the following group: tissue damage resulting from cell damage or death due to necrosis or apoptosis, neuronal mediated tissue damage or diseases, neural tissue damage resulting from ischemia and reperfusion injury, neurological disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, vascular stroke, cardiovascular disorders, age-related muscular degeneration, AIDS and other immune senescence diseases, inflammation, arthritis, gout, atherosclerosis, cachexia, cancer, degenerative diseases of skeletal muscle involving replicative senescence, diabetes, head trauma, immune senescence, inflammatory bowel disorders, muscular dystrophy, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, chronic pain, acute pain, neuropathic pain, nervous insult peripheral nerve injury, renal failure, retinal ischemia, septic shock, and skin aging, diseases or disorders relating, to lifespan or proliferative capacity of cells, and diseases or disease conditions induced or exacerbated by cellular senescence, which includes administering a compound of the present invention to an animal in need of said treatment. The method of the present invention includes treatment of a neurodegenerative disease selected from the following group: Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Huntington's Disease and amyotropic lateral sclerosis. The method of the present invention includes treatment of a cancer selected from the following group: ACTH-producing tumors, acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, cancer of the adrenal cortex, bladder cancer, brain cancer, breast cancer, cervix cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, chronic myelocytic leukemia, colorectal cancer, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, endometrial cancer, esophageal cancer, Ewing's sarcoma, gallbladder cancer, hairy cell leukemia, head & neck cancer, Hodgkins's lymphoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, kidney cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer (small and/or non-small cell), malignant peritoneal effusion, malignant pleural effusion, melanoma, mesothelioma, multiple myeloma, neuroblastoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, osteosarcoma, ovary cancer, ovary (germ cell) cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, penile cancer, retinoblastoma, skin cancer, soft-tissue sarcoma, squamous cell carcinomas, stomach cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid cancer, trophoblastic neoplasms, cancer of the uterus, vaginal cancer, cancer of the vulva and Wilm's tumor. The method of he present invention includes treatment of gout and cardiovascular disorders selected from the following group: cardiovascular tissue damage, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris and cardiogenic shock.

Further, the present invention provides methods of manufacturing medicaments for treatment of the disclosed diseases and disorders wherein the method of manufacturing includes combining, for example, at least one compound of the present invention with an acceptable diluent, carrier or excipient.

-   -   PARP Assays     -   ID₅₀

A convenient method to determine IC₅₀ of a PARP inhibitor compound is a PARP assay using purified recombinant human PARP from Trevigan (Gaithersburg, Md.), as follows: The PARP enzyme assay is set up on ice in a volume of 100 microliters consisting of 100 mM Tris-HCl (pH 8.0), 1 mM MgCl₂, 28 mM KCl, 28 mM NaCl, 0.1 mg/ml of DNase I activated herring sperm DNA (Sigma, MO), 3.0 micromolar [3H]nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (470 mci/mmole), 7 micrograms/ml PARP enzyme, and various concentrations of the compounds to be tested. The reaction is initiated by incubating the mixture at 25° C. After 15 minutes of incubation, the reaction is terminated by adding 500 microliters of ice cold 20% (w/v) trichloroacetic acid. The precipitate formed is transferred onto a glass fiber filter (Packard Unifilter-GF/B) and washed three times with ethanol. After the filter is dried, the radioactivity is determined by scintillation counting. The compounds of this invention were found to have potent enzymatic activity in the range of a few nM to 20 μM in IC₅₀ in this inhibition assay.

Using the PARP assay described above, approximate IC₅₀ (μM) values were obtained as shown in the following Table III, which also include specific embodiments of the compounds of the present invention:

TABLE III

(0.064)

(0.115)

(0.166)

(0.929)

(0.165)

(0.314)

(0.634)

(0.406)

(0.109)

(0.264)

(0.049)

(0.064)

(0.048)

(0.091)

(0.114)

(0.092)

(0.154)

(0.11)

(0.052)

(0.077)

(0.38)

(0.137)

(0.247)

(1.13)

(0.089)

(0.063)

(0.269)

(0.335)

(0.211)

(0.129)

(0.178)

(0.096)

(0.119)

(0.267)

(0.558)

(0.204)

(0.055)

(0.39)

(0.336)

(0.158)

(0.049)

(0.094)

(0.133)

(0.118)

(0.457)

(0.144)

(0.072)

(0.115)

(0.045)

(0.036)

(0.218)

(0.058)

(0.193)

(0.188)

(0.178)

(0.175)

(0.219)

(0.23)

Focal Cerebral Ischemia

The following focal cerebral ischemia assay is useful for determining the PARP inhibiting effects of the compounds of the present invention. The following examples demonstrate that compounds related to those of the present invention are effective in inhibiting PARP activity.

Focal cerebral ischemia is produced by cauterization of the right distal MCA (middle cerebral artery) with bilateral temporary common carotid artery occlusion in male Long-Evans rats for 90 minutes. All procedures performed on the animals are approved by the University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the University of Pennsylvania. A total of 42 rats (weights: 230–340 g) obtained from Charles River were used in this study. The animals fasted overnight with free access to water prior to the surgical procedure.

Two hours prior to MCA occlusion, varying amounts (control, n=14; 5 mg/kg, n=7; 10 mg/kg, n=7; 20 mg/kg, n=7; and 40 mg/kg, n=7) of the compound, 3,4-dihydro-5-[4-(1-piperidinyl)-butoxy]-1(2H)-isoquinolinone (“DPQ”) were dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) using a sonicator. A volume of 1.28 ml/kg of the resulting solution was injected intraperitoneally into fourteen rats.

The rats were then anesthetized with halothane (4% for induction and 0.8%–1.2% for the surgical procedure) in a mixture of 70% nitrous oxide and 30% oxygen. The body temperature was monitored by a rectal probe and maintained at 37.5±0.5° C. with a heating blanket regulated by a homeothermic blanket control unit (Harvard Apparatus Limited, Kent, U.K.). A catheter (PE-50) was placed into the tail artery, and arterial pressure was continuously monitored and recorded on a Grass polygraph recorder (Model 7D, Grass Instruments, Quincy, Mass.). Samples for blood gas analysis (arterial pH, PaO₂ and PaCO₂) were also talcen from the tail artery catheter and measure with a blood gas analyzer (ABL 30, Radiometer, Copenhagen, Denmark). Arterial blood samples were obtained 30 minutes after MCA occlusion.

The head of the animal was positioned in a stereotaxic frame, and a right parietal incision between the right lateral canthus and the external auditory meatus was made. Using a dental drill constantly cooled with saline, a 3 mm burr hole was prepared over the cortex supplied by the right MCA, 4 mm lateral to the sagittal suture and 5 mm caudal to the coronal suture. The dura mater and a thin inner bone layer were kept, care being taken to position the probe over a tissue area devoid of large blood vessels. The flow probe (tip diameter of 1 mm fiber separation of 0.23 mm) was lowered to the bottom of the cranial burr hole using a micromanipulator. The probe was held stationary by a probe holder secured to the skull with dental cement. The microvascular blood flow in the right parietal cortex was continuously monitored with a laser Doppler flowmeter (FloLab, Moor, Devon, U.K., and Periflux 4001, Perimed, Stockholm, Sweden).

Focal cerebral ischemia was produced by cauterization of the distal portion of the right MCA with bilateral temporary common carotid artery (CCA) occlusion by the procedure of Chen et al., “A Model of Focal Ischemic Stroke in the Rat Reproducible Extensive Cortical Infarction”, Stroke 17:738–43 (1986) and/or Liu et al., “Polyethylene Glycolonjugated Superoxide Dismutase and Catalase Reduce Ischemic Brain Injury”. Am. J. Physiol. 256:H589–93 (1989), both of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Specifically, bilateral CCA's were isolated, and loops made from polyethylene (PE-10) catheter were carefully passed around the CCA's for later remote occlusion. The incision made previously for placement of the laser doppler probe was extended to allow observation of the rostral end of the zygomatic arch at the fusion point using a dental drill, and the dura mater overlying the MCA was cut. The MCA distal to its crossing with the inferior cerebral vein was lifted by a fine stainless steel hook attached to a micromanipulator and, following bilateral CCA occlusion, the MCA was cauterized with an electrocoagulator. The burr hole was covered with a small piece of Gelform, and the wound was sutured to maintain the brain temperature within the normal or near-normal range.

After 90 minutes of occlusion, the carotid loops were released, the tail arterial catheter was removed, and all of the wounds were sutured. Gentamicin sulfate (10 mg/ml) was topically applied to the wounds to prevent infection. The anesthetic was discontinued and the animal was returned to his cage after awakening. Water and food were allowed ad libitum.

Two hours after MCA occlusion, the animals were given the same doses of the PARP inhibitor as in the pretreatment. Twenty-four hours after MCA occlusion, the rats were sacrificed with an intraperitoneal injection of pentobarbial sodium (150 mg/kg). The brain was carefully removed from the skull and cooled in ice-cold artificial CSF for five minutes. The cooled brain was then sectioned in the coronal plane at 2 mm intervals using a rodent brain matrix (RBM-4000C, ASI Instruments, Warren, Mich.). The brain slices were incubated in phosphate-buffered saline containing 2% 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium, chloride (TTC) at 37° C. for ten minutes. Color photographs were taken of the posterior surface of the stained slices and were used to determine the damaged area at each cross-sectional level using a computer-based image analyzer (NIH Image 1.59). To avoid artifacts due to edema, the damaged area was calculated by subtracting the area of the normal tissue in the hemisphere ipsilateral to the stroke from the area of the hemisphere contralateral to the stroke, by the method of Swanson et al., “A Semiautomated Method for Measuring Brain Infarct Volume”. J. Cereb. Blood Flow Metabol. 10:290–93 (1990), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The total volume of infarction was calculated by summation of the damaged volume of the brain slices.

The cauterization of the distal portion of the right MCA with bilateral temporary CCA occlusion consistently produced a well-recognized cortical infarct in the right MCA territory of each test animal. There was an apparent uniformity in the distribution of the damaged area as measured by TTC staining in each group, as shown in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1, the distribution of the cross-sectional infarct area at representative levels along the rostrocaudal axis was measured from the interaural line in non-treated animals and in animals treated with 10 mg/kg of 3,4-dihydro-5-[4-(1-piperidinyl)-butoxy]-1(2H)-isoquinolinone. The area of damage was expressed as mean±standard deviation. Significant differences between the 10 mg-treated group and the control group were indicated (*p<0.02. **p<0.01, **p<0.001). The 5 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg curves tell approximately halfway between the control and the 10 mg/kg curves, whereas the 40 mg/kg curve was lose co the control. The 5, 20 and 40 mg/kg curves were omitted for clarity.

PARP inhibition led to a significant decrease in the damaged volume in the 5 mg/kg-treated group (106.7±23.2 mm³, p<0.001), the 10 mg/kg-treated group (76.4±16.3 mm³, p<0.001), and the 20 mg/kg-treated group (110.2±42.0 mm³, p<0.01), compared to the control group (165.2±34.0 mm³). The data are expressed as mean±standard deviation. The significance of differences between groups was determined using an analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Student's t-test for individual comparisons.

There was no significant difference between the control and the 40 mg/kg-treated group (135.6±44.8 mm³). However, there were significant differences between the 5 mg/kg-treated group and the 10 mg/kg-treated group (p<0.02), and between the 10 mg/kg-treated group and the 40 mg/kg-treated group (p<0.01), as shown in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 2, the effect of intraperitoneal administration of 3,4-dihydro-5-[4-(1-piperidinyl)-butoxy]-1(2H)-isoquinolinone on the infarct volume was depicted graphically. The volumes of infarct were expressed as mean±standard deviation. Significant differences between the treated groups and the control group were indicated (*p<0.01, **p<0.001). It is not clear why a high dose (40 mg/kg) of the PARP inhibitor, 3,4-dihydro-5-[4-(1-piperidinyl)-butoxy]-1(2H)-isoquinolinone, was less neuroprotective. The U-shaped dose-response curve may suggest dual effects of the compound.

However, overall, the in vivo administration of the inhibitor led to a substantial reduction in infarct volume in the focal cerebral ischemia model in the rat. This result indicated that the activation of PARP plays an important role in the pathoegnesis of brain damage in cerebral ischemia.

The values of arteral blood gases (PaO₂, PaCO₂ and pH) were within the physiological range in the control and treated groups with no significant differences in these parameters among the five groups, as shown below in Table IV. A “steady state” MABP was taken following completion of the surgical preparation, just prior to occlusion, an “ischemia” MABP was taken as the average MABP during occlusion.

TABLE IV MABP (mm Hg) PaO₂ PaCO₂ Steady Ischemia (mm Hg) (mm Hg) pH State Control group 125 ± 21 38.6 ± 4.6 7.33 ± 79 ± 14 91 ± 13** (n = 4) 0.05 5 mg/kg-treated 126 ± 20 38.0 ± 2.8 7.36 ± 78 ± 5  91 ± 12** group (n = 7) 0.02 10 mg/kg-treated 125 ± 16 39.3 ± 5.2 7.34 ± 80 ± 9  90 ± 14*  group (n = 7) 0.03 20 mg/kg-treated 122 ± 14 41.3 ± 2.8 7.35 ± 79 ± 10 91 ± 12** group (n = 7) 0.23 40 mg/kg-treated 137 ± 17 39.5 ± 4.7 7.33 ± 78 ± 4  88 ± 12*  group (n = 7) 0.24 *= Significantly different from the steady state value, p < 0.05. **= Significantly different from the steady state value, p < 0.01. There were no significant differences in any physiological parameters including mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), prior to MCA and CCA occlusion among the five groups. Although MABP was significantly elevated following occlusion in all five groups, there were no significant differences in MABP during the occlusion period among the groups.

Since the blood flow values obtained from the laser doppler were in arbitrary units, only percent changes from the baseline (prior to occlusion) were reported. Right MCA and bilateral CCA occlusion produced a significant decrease in relative blood flow in the right parietal cortex to 20.8±7.7% of the baseline in the control group (n=5), 13.7±7.4% in the 5 mg/kg-treated group (n=7), 21.4±7.7% of the baseline in the group (n=7) and 19.3±11.2% in the 40 mg/kg-treated group (n=7). There were no significant differences in the blood flow response to occlusion among the four groups. In addition, blood flow showed no significant changes throughout the entire occlusion period in any group.

Following release of the carotid occlusions, a good recovery of blood flow (sometimes hyperemia) was observed in the right MCA territory of all animals. Reperfusion of the ischemic tissue resulted in the formation of NO and peroxynitrite, in addition to oxygen-derived free radicals. All of these radicals have been shown to cause DNA strand breaks and to activate PARP.

This example provided evidence that the related compounds of the present invention are effective in inhibiting PARP activity.

Exemplified compounds of the present invention may be tested for their ability to reduce focal cerebral ischemia in the following simplified procedure. Rats are allowed free access to water and rat chow (Wayne, Chicago, Ill.) until surgery. Housing and anesthesia concur with guidelines established by the institutional Animal Studies Committee, and are in accordance with the PHS Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. USDA Regulations, and the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia guidelines.

The animals are anesthetized with isofluorane (induction, 3%; maintenance, 1.25% in a mixture of 30% O₂ and 70% NO₂ through a face mask. The rectal temperature is maintained at 37° C. with a homeothermic blanket (Harvard Apparatus, South Natick, Mass.). First, an iv catheter is inserted into the left femoral vein and the line run up through the nape of the neck for connection to a tethered swivel (Instech Laboratories, Plymouth Meeting, Pa.) and remote infusion pump (Stoelting Inc., Wood Dale, Ill.). In some cases, the right femoral artery is cannulated for monitoring arterial blood pressure and heart rate and for obtaining blood samples for arterial blood gas.

The right middle cerebral artery (MCA) is then exposed by making vertical skin incision midway between the right eye and ear and overlying skull is removed with a dental drill (Chen et al. 1936). After incision of the dura, the artery is coagulated at the level of the inferior cerebral vein with a bipolar cautery unit (Valleylab NS2000, Boulder, Colo.), and cut to prevent spontaneous reperfusion (Takahashi et al., 1997). Both common carotid arteries (CCAs) that had been previously isolated and freed of soft tissues and nerves are then ligated using non-traumatic aneurysm clips. After the wounds are closed with surgical clips, the animals are allowed to recover from anesthesia and returned to their cage which is warmed to 27° C. with a heated water underpad and humidified warm tent.

The PARP inhibitor to be tested is first administered 30 min after MCAO as an iv bolus. 10 mg/kg infused over 5 min, followed by a 12 hr continuous infusion of 2 mg/kg/hr (0.3 ml/hr). Ninety minutes after the MCAO, the animals are removed from the infusion tether, briefly reanesthetized with isofluorane, and the carotid clips are removed. The animal is returned to its warm cage and reconnected to the iv infusion pump for the duration of the experiment.

At 24 hrs after permanent MCAO, animals are sedated with ketamine and the heads removed by guillotine. Brains are removed, cooled in ice-cold saline, and sliced into 2 mm coronal sections using a rat brain matric (Harvard Bioscience, South Natick, Mass.). The brain slices are incubated in phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.4) containing 2% TTC at 37° C. for 10 min. and then stored in 10%) neutral-buffered formalin. Cross-sectional area of the TTC-anstained region for each brain slice is determined using an image analyzer (MetaMorph, Universal Imaging Corp., West Chester, Pa.). The total volume of infarction in the right hemisphere is calculated by summation of the direct (TTC-negative) and indirect measures of the infarct areas in the component brain slices. The infarcted volumes in vehicle and drug-treated groups (n=8) are tested for significant statistical difference using an unpaired Student-t test.

Various doses of the compounds of the invention may be tested in this model. The compounds are administered in either a single dose or a series of multiple doses. i.p. or i.v., at different times, both before or after the onset of ischemia. Compounds of the invention are expected to provide protection from ischemia in the range of about 0 to 80%.

Heart Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury

The experiments of the heart ischemia reperfusion injury mode is performed using female Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250–300 g which are anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital at dose of 65 mg/kg intraperitoneally. The rectal temperature is maintained at 37° C. by using a homeothermic blanket system (Harvard Apparatus, South Natick, Mass.). The trachea is cannulated and the rat is ventilated with Room Air by using Harvard Rodent Ventilator (Harvard Apparatus, South Natick, Mass.). The left jugular vein is cannulated with PE-50 tubing for drug delivery. The right carotid artery is cannulated for BP measurement. The heart is exposed by opening the chest at the 4^(th) left intercostal space. A main left branch of coronary artery (LAD) is occluded by 4–0 silk ligature for 30 min of ischemia and released for 90 min of reperfusion. During the experiment, arterial BP and EKG are monitored by Micro-Med Cardiovascular System (Louisville, Ky.).

At the end of reperfusion, the LAD coronary artery is re-occluded and about 2 ml of 5% Evans Blue dye is injected through i.v. line to distinguish the ischemic area from non-ischemic area of the heart. Then the heart is immediately taken off and frozen in the freezer. After at least 30 min of freezing, the heart is sliced into five sections with 2 mm thickness and stained in 1% TTC solution for 30 min at 37° C. The right ventricle is trimmed off. Infarct area, risk area and total left ventricular area in each face of the section are measured by using an image analysis system (BIOQUANT, Nashville, Tenn.). The infarct size is calculated as the percent total infarct volume of the total risk volume.

For drug treated group, compounds are administered according to the following three protocols: 1. Single dose of compound is given 60 min prior to the onset of ischemia through i. p. injection. 2. Compound is delivered through i.v. bolus 1 min before the onset of ischemia followed by i.v. infusion until the end of reperfusion. 3. Compound is delivered through i.v. bolus 1 min before the onset of reper using followed by i.v. infusion until the end of reperfusion. For each drug-treated group, there is a corresponding vehicle treated group with n=6 or n=8. The difference between vehicle and drug treated groups is compared by using unpaired t-test with p<0.05. Various doses of compounds are tested in this model. The compounds are given in either single or multiple doses. i.p or i.v., at different times before or after the onset of ischemia. The compounds of this invention are expected to have ischemia/reperfusion injury protection in the range of 10 to 40 percent in this assay.

As a result of the PARP inhibition activity, the compounds of this invention are expected protect against ischemia-induced degeneration of rat cortical neurons in vitro and thus may be useful in disorders arising from cerebral ischemia such as stroke, septic shock, or CNS degenerative disorders. They may also be useful in protecting the spinal cord following trauma. As an experimental result of ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats, the present invention is further directed to a method of prophylactic or therapeutic treatment of heart attack, cardiac arrest, cardiac bypass, diabetes, or risk of damage which comprises administering an effective amount of a compound of the present invention for PARP inhibition in unit dosage form.

In Vitro Radiosensitization

In vitro radiosensitization may be measured with the use of a human prostate cancer cell line. PC-3s, which are plated in 6 well dishes and grown at monolayer cultures in RPMI1640 supplemented with 10% FCS. The cells are maintained at 37° C. in 5% CO₂ and 95% air. The cells are exposed to a dose response (0.1 mM to 0.1 μM) of 3 different PARP inhibitors prior to irradiation at one sublethal dose level. For all treatment groups the six well plates are exposed at room temperature in a Seifert 250 kV/15 mA irradiator with a 0.5 mm Cu/1 mm. Cell viability is examined by exclusion of 0.4% trypan blue. Dye exclusion is assessed visually by microscopy and viable cell number was calculated by subtracting the number of cells from the viable cell number and dividing by the total number of cells. Cell proliferation rates are calculated by the amount of ³H-thymidine incorporation post-irradiation. The PARP inhibitors are expected to radiosensitize the cells.

Measuring Altered Gene Expression in mRNA Senescent Cells

Gene expression alteration may be measured with human fibroblast BJ cells which, at Population Doubling (PDL) 94, are plated in regular growth medium and then changed to low serum medium to reflect physiological conditions described in Linskens, et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 23:16:3244–3251 (1995). A medium of DMEM/199 supplemented with 0.3% bovine calf serum is used. The cells are treated daily or 13 days. The control cells are treated with and without the solvent used to administer the PARP inhibitor. The untreated old and young control cells are tested for comparison. RNA is prepared from the treated and control cells according to the techniques described in PCT Publication No. 96/13610 and Northern blotting is conducted. Probes specific for senescence-related genes are analyzed and treated and control cells compared. In analyzing the results, the lowest level of gene expression is arbitrarily set at 1 to provide a basis for comparison. Three genes particularly relevant to age-related changes in the skin are collagen, collagenase and elastin. West. Arch. Derm. 130:37–95 (1994). Elastin expression of the cells treated with the PARP inhibitor is expected to be significantly increased in comparison with the control cells. Elastin expression should be significantly higher in young cells compared to senescent cells, and thus treatment with the PARP inhibitor should cause elastin expression levels in senescent cells to change to levels similar to those found in much younger cells. Similarly, a beneficial effect should be seen in collagenase and collagen expression with treatment with the PARP inhibitors.

Neuroprotective Effects of PARP Inhibitors on Chronic Constriction Injury (CCI) in Rats

Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, 300–350 g, are anesthetized with intraperitoneal 50 mg/kg sodium pentobarbital. Nerve ligation is performed by exposing one side of the rat's sciatic nerves and dissecting a 5–7 mm-long nerve segment and closing with four loose ligatures at a 1.0–1.5-mm, followed by implanting of an intrathecal catheter and inserting of a gentamicin sulfate-flushed polyethylene (PE-10) tube into the subarachnoid space through an incision at the cisterna magna. The caudal end of the catheter is gently threaded to the lumbar enlargement and the rostral end is secured with dental cement to a screw embedded in the skull and the skin wound is closed with wound clips.

Thermal hyperalgesia to radiant heat is assessed by using a paw-withdrawal test. The rat is placed in a plastic cylinder on a 3-mm thick glass plate with a radiant heat source from a projection bulb placed directly under the plantar surface of the rat's hindpaw. The paw-withdrawal latency is defined as the time elapsed from the onset of radiant heat stimulation to withdrawal of the rat's hindpaw.

Mechanical hyperalgesia is assessed by placing the rat in a age with a bottom made of perforated metal sheet with many small square holes. Duration of paw-withdrawal is recorded after pricking the mid-plantar surface of the rat's hindpaw with the tip of a safety pin inserted through the cage bottom.

Mechano-allodynia is assessed by placing a rat in a cage similar to the previous test, and applying von Frey filaments in ascending order of bending force ranking from 0.07 to 76 g to the mid-plantar surface of the rat's hindpaw. A von Frey filament is applied perpendicular to the skin and depressed slowly until it bends. A threshold force of response is defined as the first filament in the series to evoke at least one clear paw-withdrawal out of five applications.

Dark neurons are observed bilaterally within the spinal cord dorsal horn, particularly in laminae I-II, of rats 3 days after unilateral sciatic nerve ligation as compared with sham operated rats. Various doses of PARP inhibitors are tested in this model and shown to reduce both incidence of dark neurons and neuropathic pain behavior in CCI rats.

Treatment and Prevention of Gout and Symptoms of Gout

Deposition of crystals of monosodium urate (MSU crystals) in the joint articular space is the etiological cause of inflammatory pathologies such as gout and pseudogout. Clinically, these inflammatory diseases are associated with oedema and erythema of the joints with consequently severe pain. A strong infiltration of leucocytes in the intraarticular and periarticular space leading to: 1) acute, episodic articular and periarticular inflammation, and 2) chronic articular changes, are also characteristic of this pathology. It has long been clear that neutrophils are the predominant cell type recovered from these inflammatory joints (Dieppe er al., (1979). Synovial fluid crystals. Q. J. Med. XLVII: 533–553; Terkletaub. (1991). Monocyte-derived neutrophil chemotactic gactor/interleukin-8 is a potential mediator of crystal-induced inflammation. Arth. Rheum. 34: 894–903.). A better understanding of the inflammatory processes elicited by MSU crystals, and the act that there is a clear relationship between these crystals and gouty arthritis, has prompted the characterisation of experimental models of crystal-induced inflammation. Examples of models where crystal challenge has led to cell recruitment into specific cavities, are canine joints (Phelps & McCarty, 1966, Ann Int. Med. 9: 115–125), rat pleurisy (Deporter et al., 1979, Br. J. Pharmacol. 65: 163–165; Sedgwick et al., 1985. Agents Actions 17: 209–213and utilisation of a pre-formed rat air-pouch (Brookes et al., 1987). The latter experimental system has shown that neutrophil accumulation was related to generation of chemoattractants such as LTB₄, which was subsequently inhibited by colchicine (Brooks et al., 1987, Br. J. Pharmacol. 90: 413–419).

Neutrophils have been shown to be activated by MSU crystals, releasing an array of mediators that may be, in part, responsible for the local and systemic inflammatory manifestations found in crystal-induced joint disorders. The crystals interact with neutrophils leading to the release of lysomal enzymes (Hoffstein et al., 1975, Arth. Rheum. 18: 153–165), release of oxygen derived free radicals (Simchowitz et al., 1982, Arth. Rheum. 25: 181–188: Abramson et al., 1982, Arthr Rheum. 25: 174–130), induction of phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) in leucocytes (Bomalaski et al., 1990, J. Immunol. 145: 3391–3397), and activation of synthesis of 5-lipoxygenase products (Poubelle et al., 1987, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 149: 649–657).

In vitro, MSU crystals have been shown to release the cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1β) from human neutrophils, adding this stimulus to a list of others that also release this cytokine, such as zymosan. LPS, phorbol esters, granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating hormone (GM-CSF) and TNF-alpha. Furthermore it has also been shown that human monocytes and synoviocytes can synthesise and release various cytokines such as IL-6 and IL-8 (Guerne et al., 1989, Arth. Rheum. 32: 1443–1452; Terkeltaub et al., 1991, Arth. Rheum. 34: 894–903). In addition colchicine selectively inhibits MSU crystal- and TNF-□ induced release of IL-1β (Roberge et al., 1994, J. Immunol. 152: 5485–5494).

In experimental models of gout the synthesis of a CXC chemokine selective for neutrophils, such as IL-8, has also been observed, but not that of a CC chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) (Hachicha et al., 1995, J. Exp. Med. 182: 2019–2025). These results suggest that production of IL-8 and abolition of the release of MCP-1, will lead to an event where, theoretically there will be a recruitment of neutrophils but not mononuclear cells. This hypothesis is in accordance with the pathological state of gout and pseudogout, where the predominant inflammatory cell is the neutrophil (Hachicha et al., 1995). In addition MSU crystal activation of mononuclear phagocytes, which are normally found in the joint space, also induces secretion of IL-8 (Terkeltaub et al., 1991). The importance of IL-8 in this pathology has been shown in synovial fluids of patients with acute gouty arthritis where it occurs in elevated amounts (Terkeltaub et al., 1991; di Giovine et al, 1991. J. Clin. Invest. 87: 1375–1381). The use of a neutralising antibody against IL-8 has been shown significantly to attenuate the crystal induced joint swelling at 12 h and neutrophil infiltration into arthritic joints at 12 and 24 h in a rabbit model (Nishimura et al., 1997, J. Leukoc. Biol. 62: 444–449).

These studies demonstrate the importance of both the emigrating neutrophil and the chemokine IL-8, as well as the release of this and other cytokines from resident cells such as the synoviocytes, macrophages and mast cells in treating gout. Since neutrophils are not present or are extremely rare in normal synovial fluid, enhanced neutrophil-endothelial adhesion is necessary for gout to occur (Terkeltaub, 1996, In, Koopman. W. J. editor, Arthritis and allied conditions: a textbook of rheumatology. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins: pp. 2085–2102, and Terkeltaub, 1992, In Inflammation, Basic Principles and Clinical Correlates, ed. by J. I. Gallin, I. M. Goldstein and R. Snyderman, pp 977–981, Raven Press, New York). IL-1β and TNF-alpha may be critical in mediating the rapid up-regulation of the major endothelial ligand for neutrophils. For instance rapid and prolonged expression of E-selectin in response to injection of urate crystals has been demonstrated in pig skin (Chapman et al., 1996, Br. J. Rheumatol. 35: 323–334). The release of cytokines, chemokines and products of the arachidonic acid cascade system lead to the recruitment of neutrophils in this pathology, and inhibition of these leads to an attenuation of the pathology.

The following gout model was used to test a PARP inhibitor according to the present invention.

Male outbread Swiss albino mice (20–22 g body weight) were purchased from Banton and Kingsman (T.O. strain; Hull, Humberside) and maintained on a standard chow pellet diet with tap water ad libitum and a 12:00 h light dark cycle. All animals were housed for 1 week prior to experimentation to allow body weight to reach 23–30 g.

1.11b-dihydrobenzopyrano[4,3,2-de]isoquinolin-1-one was dissolved in 100% DMSO at room temperature at a concentration of 45 mg in 2 ml. The compound was then injected into the peritoneal cavity, so as each mouse received a single dose corresponding to 45 mg/2 ml/kg (e.g. 60 μl for a mouse of 30 g). Control mice received DMSO at 2 ml/kg i.p. A third group of mice which were left untreated were added to control for potential effects of the vehicle. The study involved therefore, the following three groups: group A, untreated mice, n=6, group B, DMSO-treated mice, n=8, and group C, mice treated with 1.1 lb-dihydrobenzopyrano[4,3,2-de]isoquinolin-1-one, n=8

MSU crystal-induced neutrophil recruitment was tested as follows. In all cases, mice were treated 1 h after the treatment noted above, with MSU crystals. A homogenous suspension of MSU crystals was obtained by a 30 min rotation. Peritonitis was induced by injection of 3 mg MSU crystals in 0.5 ml PBS (0.1 M, pH 7.4), and the recruitment of neutrophils into the cavity evaluated at the 6 h time point (Gerting et al., 1997, J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 233: 123–130). Animals were then euthanised by CO₂ exposure and the peritoneal cavity washed with 3 ml of PBS supplemented with 3 mM EDTA and 25 U/ml heparin.

An aliquot (100 μl) of the lavage fluid was then diluted 1:10 in Turk's solution (0.01% crystal violet in 3% acetic acid). The samples were then vortexed and 10 μl of the stained cell solution were placed in a Neubauer haematocymometer and neutrophils numbers counted using a light microscope (Olympus B061). Cell-free supernatants have been prepared by centrifugation and stored for potential future analysis.

Data are shown for single mice, and also shown as mean±S.E. of (n) mice per group. Statistical differences were determined by ANOVA, plus Bonferroni test. A P value<0.05 was taken as significant.

TABLE V reports the number of neutrophils as measured 6 h post-MSU crystal injection in the three experimental groups.

TABLE V Effect of 1,11b-dihydrobenzopyrano[4,3,2-de]isoquinolin-1-one on MSU crystal induced neutrophil migration as evaluated at the 6 h time-point. Mouse Neutrophil Neutrophil Neutrophil No. Group Numbers Group Numbers Group Numbers 1 A 4.9 B 6.0 C 5.1 2 A 5.4 B 6.6 C 2.1 3 A 6.3 B 7.5 C 2.4 4 A 6.9 B 7.8 C 2.4 5 A 5.7 B 5.1 C 3.0 6 A 6.0 B 5.7 C 3.0 7 B 5.7 C 2.7 8 B 6.0 C 2.1 Legend: Mice were left untreated (group A), received vehicle DMSO (2 ml/kg i.p.: group B) or 1.11b-dihydrobenzopyrano[4,3,2-de]isoquinolin-1-one (45 mg/kg i.p.; group C), 1 h prior to peritoneal injection of 3 mg MSU crystals at time 0. Neutrophil influx in the peritoneal cavity was measured at the 6 h time-point after collection of the lavage fluids and specific staining as described in the experimental section. Values for neutrophil numbers are 10⁶ per mouse. TABLE VI illustrates these data as mean±S.E. It can be seen that DMSO produced a modest not significant increase in cell migration (+7%). In contrast, the exemplary compound of the present invention, at the dose of 45 mg/kg, significantly reduced cell influx, with a calculated 55% of inhibition vs. the vehicle group.

TABLE VI Accumulation of data for the effect of the exemplified compound of the present invention (means). Experimental Neutrophils Group Stimulus (10⁶ per mouse) A MSU crystals (3 mg) 5.87 ± 0.28 (6) B MSU crystals (3 mg) 6.30 ± 0.33 (8) C MSU crystals (3 mg)  2.85 ± 0.34 (8)* Legend: as in TABLE IV. Values are mean = S.E. of (n) mice per group. *P < 0.05 vs. group B.

These results demonstrate the compounds and compositions of the present invention may be useful in treating and/or preventing gout, such as by reducing or eliminating urate crystal induced neutrophil recruitment.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims. All references cited herein are incorporated in their entirety by reference herein. 

1. A compound selected from the group consisting of

and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
 2. A pharmaceutical composition which comprises: (i) a therapeutically effective amount of a compound according to claim 1 and (ii) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. 